Arginin-stimulated Copeptin in Polyuria-polydipsia Syndrome in Children

Routine biochemical tests are performed to screen patients for PPS and determine basal copeptin level after solid fasting since midnight without water restriction: 1/ a basal copeptin value ≥ 30 pmol/L defines the diagnosis of NDI and results in a specific care; 2/ a basal copeptin \< 30 pmol/L defines the group of eligible patients for arginine stimulation. The arginine-stimulated copeptin test start at 8 am, at the dose of 0.5 g/kg over 30min. Copeptin is measured at T0 (before infusion), T45, T60, T90, and T120 min after infusion. Patients with basal copeptin value over 3.53 pmol/L are considered as positive diagnosis of PP (Se 100%, Sp 87.4%) and cerebral MRI is not performed for this group of patients (PP group). Patients with basal copeptin value \< 3.53 pmol/L are considered as an uncertain diagnosis (UD) and cerebral and pituitary MRI is performed with a least two independent interpretations. Abnormal pituitary MRI allows a diagnosis of CDI leading to etiological investigations and AVP treatment. Patients with basal copeptin ≥ 3.53 pmol/l (PP group), and UD patients with normal MRI have gradual reduction of water intake without AVP treatment. For all these latest patients, a clinical and biological reevaluation is performed one month later. The gold standard will be the final diagnosis PP vs. CDI based on a set of indicators: medical history, physical examination, pituitary hormonal assessment, hypothalamo-pituitary MRI, follow-up at 1 month.