Permanent central diabetes insipidus after mild traumatic brain injury.

Abstract

AIM:

The patients in the permanent diabetes insipidus (DI) group are more likely to have more severe TBI, which is defined by a post-resuscitational and pre-sedational Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 8/15 or less. This study presents a case of permanent, central DI following mild traumatic brain injury with post-resuscitation GCS 13/15.

CASE REPORT:

A 17-year-old boy suffered from mild brain injury and experienced permanent DI without any anatomical changes on image in the early stage of traumatic brain injury. However, 1 year later, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain in this patient has revealed some sequel of contusion. Moreover, the patient still has DI after treatment with diamino-8-D-arginine vasopressin (DDAVP).

CONCLUSION:

This patient had a rare clinical presentation of permanent, central DI, following a mild traumatic brain injury. Identification of head trauma as the aetiology of hypopituitarism may be overlooked if there is a long delay in onset after trauma. Since anterior hypopituitarism can develop decades after the episode of head trauma, monitoring for endocrine dysfunction during follow-up of these patients is important.

• Authors: Yi-Chun Chou, Tzu-Yuan Wang, Pey-Yu Yang, Nai-Hsin Meng, Li-Wei Chou
• Journal: Brain injury (Brain Inj) Vol. 23 Issue 13-14 Pg. 1095-8 (Dec 2009) ISSN: 1362-301X [Electronic] England
• PMID: 19891534 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Topics

• Accidents, Traffic
• Adolescent
• Brain Injuries (complications, diagnosis)
• Diabetes Insipidus, Neurogenic (diagnosis, etiology)
• Humans
• Hypopituitarism (complications)
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Male
• Severity of Illness Index
• Time Factors