INTRODUCTION: Hyponatremia is considered the most frequent electrolyte disorder found in hospitalized patients and seems to be a prognostic factor during hospitalization. METHODS: A prospective observational study was carried out in consecutive neurological patients admitted to our hospital over a 3-month period. Blood and urinary ionogram and osmolality were determined at entry and 3-5 days after admission in all patients with hyponatremia. RESULTS: Of the 130 patients admitted, 19 (14.6%) had hyponatremia. The causes of hyponatremia were as follows: inappropriate fluid replacement in 4 patients (21%), antihypertensive drugs in 4 (21%), syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone in 4 (21%), cerebral salt wasting syndrome in 2 (10%), and edematous status caused by liver disease in one and digestive loss in one (5%) each. Mortality was one (5%) and 0 (0%) among patients with and without hyponatremia, respectively. CONCLUSION: Hyponatremia is common in hospitalized neurological patients and can be misdiagnosed as a worsening of the main illness. Copyright (c) 2009 SEEN. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.
INTRODUCTION:Hyponatremia is considered the most frequent electrolyte disorder found in hospitalized patients and seems to be a prognostic factor during hospitalization. METHODS: A prospective observational study was carried out in consecutive neurological patients admitted to our hospital over a 3-month period. Blood and urinary ionogram and osmolality were determined at entry and 3-5 days after admission in all patients with hyponatremia. RESULTS: Of the 130 patients admitted, 19 (14.6%) had hyponatremia. The causes of hyponatremia were as follows: inappropriate fluid replacement in 4 patients (21%), antihypertensive drugs in 4 (21%), syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone in 4 (21%), cerebral salt wasting syndrome in 2 (10%), and edematous status caused by liver disease in one and digestive loss in one (5%) each. Mortality was one (5%) and 0 (0%) among patients with and without hyponatremia, respectively. CONCLUSION:Hyponatremia is common in hospitalized neurological patients and can be misdiagnosed as a worsening of the main illness. Copyright (c) 2009 SEEN. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.