The water deprivation test and a potential role for the arginine vasopressin precursor copeptin to differentiate diabetes insipidus from primary polydipsia.

The water deprivation test is the gold standard test to differentiate central or nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (DI) from primary polydipsia (PP) in patients with polyuria and polydipsia. Few studies have addressed the diagnostic performance of this test. The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of the standard water deprivation test, including plasma arginine vasopressin (AVP) measurements, in 40 consecutive patients with polyuria.

Faculty development to enhance humanistic teaching and role modeling: a collaborative study at eight institutions.

Background: There is increased emphasis on practicing humanism in medicine but explicit methods for faculty development in humanism are rare.

Objective: We sought to demonstrate improved faculty teaching and role modeling of humanistic and professional values by participants in a multi-institutional faculty development program as rated by their learners in clinical settings compared to contemporaneous controls.

Design: Blinded learners in clinical settings rated their clinical teachers, either participants or controls, on the previously validated 10-item Humanistic Teaching Practices Effectiveness (HTPE) questionnaire.

Implementation of a care transitions model for low-income older adults: a high-risk, vulnerable population.

Low-income older adults are particularly vulnerable during care transitions. The present study evaluated the effectiveness of a transitional care model in this population. A quasi-experimental design was used to compare outcomes in the intervention group with historical controls at 30, 90, 180, and 365 days after discharge, along with a pre-postintervention evaluation of the intervention group.

Familial neurohypophyseal diabetes insipidus due to a novel mutation in the arginine vasopressin-neurophysin II gene.

Background: Familial neurohypophyseal (central) diabetes insipidus (DI) is caused by mutations in the arginine vasopressin-neurophysin II (AVP-NPII) gene. The majority of cases is inherited in an autosomal dominant way. In this study, we present the clinical features of a mother and her son with autosomal dominant neurohypophyseal DI caused by a novel mutation.