Severe hyponatraemia in medical in-patients: aetiology, assessment and outcome

JA Clayton, IR Le Jeune, IP Hall - Journal of the Association of …, 2006 - academic.oup.com
JA Clayton, IR Le Jeune, IP Hall
Journal of the Association of Physicians, 2006academic.oup.com
Background: Hyponatraemia is the most commonly identified electrolyte abnormality.
Published data on severe hyponatraemia in general medical in-patients is lacking. Aim: To
determine the aetiology, adequacy of assessment, and outcome of severe hyponatraemia in
general medical in-patients. Design: Retrospective case-note review. Methods: All general
medical in-patients (n= 108) with serum sodium⩽ 125 mmol/l were identified from the clinical
chemistry database, over a six-month period. A full review of notes and computer records …
Abstract
Background: Hyponatraemia is the most commonly identified electrolyte abnormality. Published data on severe hyponatraemia in general medical in-patients is lacking.
Aim: To determine the aetiology, adequacy of assessment, and outcome of severe hyponatraemia in general medical in-patients.
Design: Retrospective case-note review.
Methods: All general medical in-patients ( n = 108) with serum sodium ⩽125 mmol/l were identified from the clinical chemistry database, over a six-month period. A full review of notes and computer records was undertaken at the index date and a pre-determined follow-up date.
Results: Follow-up data were available in 105 patients. There was a wide range of aetiologies: diuretic therapy (loop and thiazide), congestive cardiac failure and liver disease were the most common, and 75.3% of patients had multiple causes. None of the 48% of patients whose history suggested a possible diagnosis of the syndrome of inappropriate anti-diuretic hormone (SIADH) met the generally accepted diagnostic criteria. Overall mortality was 20% during the index admission and 44.6% at follow-up, vs. 7.1% and 22%, respectively, for other patients admitted to the same directorate over the same time period ( p < 0.001). Mortality was linked to aetiology, but not to reduced absolute serum sodium concentration at admission.
Discussion: Severe hyponatraemia in general medical patients is associated with a complex, multifactoral aetiology and a very poor prognosis. Outlook is governed principally by aetiology, and not by serum sodium level. Assessment of patients with hyponatraemia requires a practical clinical algorithm for diagnosing SIADH.
Oxford University Press