Diabetes Insipidus as a Complication of Acute Leukemia

Abstract

THE APPEARANCE of diabetes insipidus during the course of acute leukemia is very unusual. While the association has been listed occasionally in textbooks of endocrinology¹and discussions of etiology of diabetes insipidus,²it is not mentioned as a cause in widely used textbooks of medicine and endocrinology.^3-5Documented cases have been reported only rarely. For this reason, the following example of partial vasopressin insufficiency which appeared in the terminal phase of acute myelogenous leukemia is instructive. <h3>Report of Case</h3> A 56-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital on April 21, 1963, with anemia of six years' duration. In 1957, on a routine physical examination, the patient was found to be anemic and, though treated with iron and cyanocobalamin, did not respond. In April and June 1962, the anemia was again documented. She was treated with iron on both occasions with no response. There was a history of pernicious anemia, leukemia,