DURING the past three decades, several drugs have been used for the treatment of diabetes insipidus; these include aminopyrine,1-4 chlorothiazide,5 -11 and vasopressin (Pitressin [nasal solution or parenteral] ).12 The parenteral form of vasopressin is currently the drug of choice, since the efficacy of this drug is, by far, the most superior. However, vasopressin has the disadvantage of requiring parenteral administration which, in the pediatric age group, may impair the use of the drug.
The search for an effective oral therapy for diabetes insipidus is necessary. Recently, Arduino et al13 reported the successful antidiuretic effects of oral doses of chlorpropamide in the treatment of patients with idiopathic diabetes insipidus. These reports prompted us to rehospitalize a patient with vasopressin-sensitive diabetes insipidus, associated with Hand-Schuller-Christian disease, for therapeutic trial. In addition, attempts to elucidate the mechanism of action of chlorpropamide were performed with metabolic and renal clearance studies.