Arginine vasopressin deficiency may be Complete (absence of vasopressin) Partial (insufficient amounts of vasopressin) Arginine vasopressin deficiency also may be Primary, in which there is a marked decrease in the hypothalamic nuclei of the neurohypophyseal system Secondary (acquired) Etiology of Arginine Vasopressin Deficiency Primary arginine vasopressin deficiency Genetic abnormalities of the vasopressin gene on chromosome 20 are responsible for autosomal dominant forms of primary arginine vasopressin deficiency, but many cases are idiopathic.