Suresh Chincholi1, Sangram Biradar2, Syed Akbar3, Mohammad Mushtaq Aejaz4, Rahul Ladda5
BACKGROUND
Hyponatraemia is defined as a serum sodium level less than 135 mEq/L. High mortality among the patients of hyponatraemia is secondary to the underlying medical condition. Frequency is high in elderly patients.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The study was conducted at a tertiary care centre (Basaveshwar Teaching and General Hospital, Gulbarga), from the period September 2014 to August 2016. These patients were evaluated for the underlying cause of hyponatraemia, which included detailed history and physical examination followed by appropriate laboratory investigations. Patients were followed up till the hyponatraemia was treated or patients were discharged from the hospital.
RESULTS
100 patients of hyponatraemia were included in the study. 46% of the patients were asymptomatic. 33% patients had lethargy, 28% patients had postural dizziness and 19% had abnormal behaviour. Overall incidence of hyponatraemia was 4.58% in the hospitalised population, whereas its incidence in ICU patients was 22.4%. Twelve patients of symptomatic severe hyponatraemia were treated with hypertonic saline infusion, 25% patients were given loop diuretics with oral supplementation of sodium chloride for free water excretion in SIADH cases and in patients with hypervolaemia, hyponatraemia, fluid restriction was advised to 44 patients, oral supplementation of sodium chloride was given in 36 patients and 64 patients received normal saline. 9 patients included in the study died, 5 of which had advanced cirrhosis of liver as underlying cause. One patient developed Osmotic Demyelination Syndrome (ODS).
CONCLUSION
The possible cause of hyponatraemia should always be sought as outcome in severe hyponatraemia is governed by aetiology, and not by the serum sodium level. Treatment of severe symptomatic hyponatraemia with hypertonic saline is safe if recommendation for the rate of correction of hyponatraemia is strictly followed.
