Background. Diabetes insipidus due to leukemic involvement of the cent
ral nervous system has been described previously in several patients.
Although the timing of the diabetes insipidus onset in relation to the
leukemia is variable, it has not been described previously as the fir
st manifestation of leukemia relapse. Methods. Two cases of leukemia r
elapse presenting as central diabetes insipidus are described and the
literature is reviewed. Results. Clinical data of 29 of the 39 reporte
d cases were available. The median age was 46 years, with no gender pr
edominance. Seventy-three percent had acute nonlymphocytic leukemia, a
nd deletion of chromosome 7 or monosomy 7 was the predominant cytogene
tic abnormality. No temporal relation between the onset of diabetes in
sipidus and the leukemia was found. In none of the previously reported
cases was diabetes insipidus the first manifestation of the leukemia
recurrence. Conclusions. The temporal relationship between diabetes in
sipidus and leukemia is inconsistent. The former may precede, follow,
or present concomitantly with the latter. Two cases of diabetes insipi
dus as the presenting sign of leukemia relapse are reported.