[Autoimmune form of central diabetes insipidus with antibodies against vasopressin-producing hypothalamic cells].

Autoantibodies against vasopressin (AVP)-producing cells of the human pituitary gland as well as conventional antibodies were determined in 67 patients with central diabetes insipidus and in 141 controls without diabetes insipidus using an immunofluorescence technique. Eleven out of 30 patients (37%) with nonfamilial idiopathic diabetes insipidus, two out of 28 patients (7%) with symptomatic diabetes insipidus and none of the control persons had AVP-cell antibodies. Antibody titres were between 1 : 2 and 1 : 32, in 8 of the 13 cases the antibodies were complement-binding. In 9 patients with idiopathic diabetes insipidus and in none of the symptomatic cases one or more autoimmune diseases were demonstrable. Demonstration of autoantibodies against AVP-cells of the pituitary in the serum of patients with so-called idiopathic diabetes insipidus indicates an autoimmune basis of the disease. This interpretation of the new antibody results is supported by a frequent association of idiopathic diabetes insipidus with recognized auto-immune diseases.