The role of desmopressin in the treatment of adult nocturia

Desmopressin, a synthetic analogue of arginine vasopressin, has been in clinical use for 30 years in the treatment of central diabetes insipidus and primary nocturnal enuresis [1]. In these conditions desmopressin has been shown to be safe and effective in controlling the polyuria and the symptoms resulting from it. As it is now recognized that nocturnal polyuria is also a major component of nocturia, the place of desmopressin for treating nocturia is gaining acceptance [2–4]. Historically, the antidiuretic effect of desmopressin has been used to manage nocturia associated with several medical conditions, e.g. multiple sclerosis, orthostatic hypotension, Parkinson’s disease and autonomic failure [5–13]. More recently, oral desmopressin has been used to treat adult patients with nocturia and nocturnal polyuria [3,14]. In this review we assess the currently available clinical data on desmopressin in nocturia, with particular reference to phase III studies.