DDAVP, a synthetic analogue of vasopressin, in prevention of headache after lumbar puncture and lumbar pneumoencephalography.

In a double-blind controlled trial the possible prophylactic effect of intranasally applicated DDAVP (1-desamino-8-arginine vasopressin, Minurin)--a synthetic analogue of vasopressin--is evaluated regarding the incidence of headache following lumbar puncture (LBP) in 51 patients and following pneumoencephalography (PEG) in 28 patients. DDAVP had no statistically significant effect on the incidence of headache or on the consumption of analgesics in the DDAVP-versus placebo groups (minimal relevant difference = 50%, 2 alpha = 0.05, beta = 0.50).