Transient idiopathic central diabetes insipidus: is severe sepsis a possible cause?

Idiopathic central diabetes insipidus (CDI) is a disorder characterized by hypotonic polyuria and polydipsia, without any identified etiology. Here we report a case of a 57-year-old woman, with idiopathic CDI, admitted to our department with severe sepsis and acute kidney failure. After clinical and radiological investigations, she was diagnosed with idiopathic CDI. In this case report the findings suggest that severe sepsis could be the trigger for this disease. In addition, we hypothesise that apelin, a diuretic neuropeptide, plays a role in such a process. Apelin levels are known to increase during severe sepsis, which in turn counteracts vasopressin actions through inhibition of vasopressin neuron activity and vasopressin release.