OBJECTIVES To determine the cutoff value of early-morning urinary arginine vasopressin (uAVP)/urinary creatinine (uCr) for patients with nocturnal polyuria (NP), and to investigate whether abnormal secretion of AVP at nighttime is a risk factor of NP in elderly men. METHODS A total of 189 men older than 50 years of age with nocturia were enrolled. The frequency volume chart a was recorded. The UAVP, urinary sodium, uCr, and osmolarity of a single urine sample voided at 6:00 AM were measured in all cases. Two definitions of NP-nocturnal urine volume/ 24-hr production greater than 0.35 (NP index [NPI] definition) and a nocturnal urine volume of 0.9 mL/min X the sleeping duration or greater (NUV definition)-were used for analysis. RESULTS uAVP/uCr was an independent predictor for NP according to the NPI and NUV definitions. The cutoff value of uAVP/uCr for NP was 23.4 pg/mL/Cr according to the NPI definition and 28.3 pg/mL/Cr according to the NUV definition. The sensitivity of the cutoff value according to the NPI and NUV definitions was 69% and 77%, respectively, and the specificity was 61% and 66%, respectively. In both NP definitions, 31% and 38% of the patients with a uAVP/uCr greater than the cutoff value showed NP. Significant differences in NUV and urine osmolarity, but not in uAvp/uCr and uNa/uCr, between the NP group and the non-NP group were found using both NP definitions. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrated that age and uAVP/uCr were independent predictive factors for nocturia in patients with NP. The cutoff value of uAVP/uCr is a useful screening marker for NP in elderly men with nocturia. (c) 2007 Elsevier Inc.