A case of nephrogenic diabetes insipidus caused by obstructive uropathy due to prostate cancer

Yonsei Med J. 2000 Feb;41(1):150-4. doi: 10.3349/ymj.2000.41.1.150.

Abstract

Nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (DI) secondary to chronic urinary tract obstruction is a rare disease. The exact cause is unknown but it is likely that increased collecting duct pressures cause damage to the tubular epithelium, resulting in insensitivity to the action of arginine-vasopressin (AVP). A 77-year-old man complaining of polyuria and polydipsia was treated with alpha glucosidase inhibitor under the impression of polyuria due to diabetes mellitus. But his symptoms did not improve. Water deprivation and AVP administration study revealed that the patient had nephrogenic DI. Urinary tract obstruction due to an enlarged prostate was suggested as a principal cause of nephrogenic DI. The patient underwent transurethral resection of the prostate and bilateral subcapsular orchiectomy. After surgery, the urine osmolarity was normalized and the patient became symptom-free. We report a case of nephrogenic DI due to obstructive uropathy which was cured by surgery eliminating obstruction.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma / complications*
  • Adenocarcinoma / diagnostic imaging
  • Adenocarcinoma / pathology
  • Aged
  • Constriction, Pathologic / etiology
  • Diabetes Insipidus, Nephrogenic / etiology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / complications*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / pathology
  • Radionuclide Imaging
  • Ultrasonography
  • Urologic Diseases / etiology*