The regulation of vasopressin secretion in a patient with oat cell carcinoma of the bronchus

Abstract
Summary: We report a patient who had an oat cell bronchogenic carcinoma in association with the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis. There was an unusually long interval between the onset of hyponatraemia and clinically evident malignant disease. Dynamic testing of vasopressin secretion showed preservation of baroregulated, but not osmoregulated, vasopressin release. Immunoreactive vasopressin was detected in pleural fluid, which co-eluted with synthetic vasopressin on gel chromatography.