Retrospective analysis of patients diagnosed with severe hyponatraemia in the emergency department.

Background . We investigated the demographic, aetiological and clinical characteristics of patients who presented to the emergency department and had severe hyponatraemia. Methods . We retrospectively evaluated 1171 patients who presented to the emergency department and were diagnosed with severe hyponatraemia. Results . Over half the patients studied were women (53.5%). The mean age of women was higher (p<0.0001). The most common complaint was dyspnoea (16.8%) and 42.5% of the patients had an oral intake disorder. In addition, 22.3% of the patients were on loop diuretics. About 76.3% of patients were conscious, and the mean sodium level of these patients was higher than the mean sodium level of those who responded to verbal and painful stimuli (p<0.001). Severe isolated hyponatraemia was observed in 61.8% of the patients. The mortality rate was 12.8%. There was no difference between the mean sodium levels of the deceased and discharged patients (p=1.0). The mortality rate was higher in patients who had a history of cirrhosis and cancer, but was lower in patients with a history of coronary artery disease (p=0.0002, p<0.0001 and p=0.04, respectively). Conclusion . Severe hyponatraemia was more prevalent in women, serum sodium levels were higher in conscious patients, and the mortality rate was higher in patients who had a history of cirrhosis and cancer. We found that the mean serum sodium levels did not help in distinguishing between the deceased and discharged patients.

[The prevalence and causes of hyponatremia in hospitalized patients].

Objective: The study was aimed to investigate the prevalence and causes of hyponatremia in hospitalized patients, and to analyze the relationship between hyponatremia and mortality. Methods: A retrospective analysis was carried out in 525 patients with hyponatremia, who were older than 14 years old and hospitalized in the Zhoushan Hospital from Jan. 2014 to Apr. 2014. Based on the severity of the hyponatremia the patients were divided into three groups: the mild, moderate and severe hyponatremia groups. The underlying causes of hyponatremia were analyzed, and the association between hyponatremia and mortality was explored using logistic regression analyses. Results: (1) The prevalence of hyponatremia was 5.26% in whole hospitalized patients (n=9 989) during the study period. It was 6.1% in the elderly population (≥60 years old). (2) Malignant tumors and infectious diseases were the main primary diseases of hyponatremia in all three groups. Among them, lung cancer was the most common malignant tumor, and pneumonia was the most common infectious disease associated with hyponatremia. Cerebral hemorrhage was common in patients with moderate and severe hyponatremia, in which subarachnoid hemorrhage was the major primary disease associated with moderate to severe hyponatremia. In the subgroup of elderly patients, malignant tumor and infectious diseases were the major basic diseases. (3) Among the 525 cases, 13.7% and 3.8% of them were diagnosed with syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) and cerebral salt-wasting syndrome (CSWS), respectively. The proportions of SIADH and CSWS increased to 17.4% and 4.2%, respectively, in the elderly hyponatremic patients (n=264). (4) More patients were prescribed with sodium-excretion drugs in the moderate and severe hyponatremia groups than those in the mild one(42.2% vs.21.4%, 43.2% vs.21.4%, all P<0.05). (5) Patients with moderate or severe hyponatremia had a higher mortality compared to those with mild hyponatremia (moderate vs. mild group: OR 6.92, 95%CI 2.53-18.92, P<0.001; severe vs. mild group: OR 4.54, 95%CI 1.05-19.58, P=0.043). Conclusions: Hyponatremia was common in hospitalized patients. The major primary diseases were malignant tumor (lung cancer), infectious diseases (pneumonia) and cerebral hemorrhage complicated with SIADH and CSWS. Use of sodium-excretion drugs increased the risk of moderate to severe hyponatremia. Patients with moderate to severe hyponatremia had a higher risk of death in hospitals.

Possible association between dysnatremias and mortality during hospitalization in patients undergoing acute hemodialysis: analysis from a Peruvian retrospective cohort / Possível associação entre distúrbios do sódio e mortalidade hospitalar em pacientes submetidos a hemodiálise aguda: análise de uma coorte retrospectiva peruana

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the association between dysnatremias or dyschloremias and mortality during hospitalization in patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) or chronic kidney disease (CKD) undergoing acute hemodialysis. Methods: We carried out a retrospective cohort study on adult patients undergoing acute hemodialysis with AKI or CKD diagnosis at a public hospital in Lima, Peru. Dysnatremias were categorized as hyponatremia (Na < 135mmol/L) or hypernatremia (Na > 145mmol/L), and dyschloremias were defined as hypochloremia (Cl < 98 mmol/L) or hyperchloremia (Cl > 109mmol/L). The outcome of interest was mortality during hospitalization. We performed generalized lineal Poisson family models with bias-corrected and accelerated non-parametric bootstrap to estimate the risk ratios at crude (RR) and adjusted analysis (aRR) by gender, age, HCO3 (for all patients) and Liaño score (only for AKI) with CI95%. Results: We included 263 patients (mean age: 54.3 years, females: 43%): 191 with CKD and 72 with AKI. Mortality was higher in patients with AKI (59.7%) than in patients with CKD (14.1%). In overall, patients with hypernatremia had a higher mortality during hospitalization compared to those who had normal sodium values (aRR: 1.82, 95% CI: 1.17-2.83); patients with hyponatremia did not have different mortality (aRR: 0.19, 95% CI: 0.69-2.04). We also found that hyperchloremia (aRR: 1.35, 95% CI: 0.83-2.18) or hypochloremia (aRR: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.30-14.78) did not increase mortality in comparison to normal chloride values. No association between dysnatremias or dyschloremias and mortality during hospitalization was found in CKD and AKI subgroups. Conclusions: In our exploratory analysis, only hypernatremia was associated with mortality during hospitalization among patients with AKI or CKD undergoing acute hemodialysis.

Resumo Objetivo: Avaliar a associação entre distúrbios do sódio ou do cloro e mortalidade hospitalar de pacientes com insuficiência renal aguda (IRA) ou doença renal crônica (DRC) submetidos a hemodiálise aguda. Métodos: O presente estudo de coorte retrospectiva incluiu pacientes adultos submetidos a hemodiálise aguda com diagnóstico de IRA ou DRC em um hospital público de Lima, Peru. Os distúrbios do sódio foram classificados como hiponatremia (Na < 135mmol/L) ou hipernatremia (Na > 145mmol/L), enquanto os distúrbios do cloro foram classificados como hipocloremia (Cl < 98 mmol/L) ou hipercloremia (Cl > 109mmol/L). O desfecho de interesse foi mortalidade hospitalar. Utilizamos modelos de Poisson da família de modelos lineares generalizados com bootstrap não-paramétrico e correção de viés acelerado para estimar os riscos relativos na análise bruta (RR) e ajustada (RRa) para sexo, idade, HCO3 (para todos os pacientes) e escore de Liaño (apenas para IRA) com IC 95%. Resultados: Foram incluídos 263 pacientes (idade média 54,3 anos; 43% do sexo feminino), 191 com DRC e 72 com IRA. A mortalidade foi mais elevada nos pacientes com IRA (59,7%) do que nos indivíduos com DRC (14,1%). No geral, os pacientes com hipernatremia tiveram mortalidade hospitalar mais elevada do que os indivíduos com valores normais de sódio (RRa: 1,82; IC 95%: 1,17-2,83). Os pacientes com hiponatremia não apresentaram mortalidade diferente (RRa: 0,19; IC 95%: 0,69-2,04). Também identificamos que hipercloremia (RRa: 1,35; IC 95%: 0,83-2,18) e hipocloremia (RRa: 0,66; IC 95%: 0,30-14,78) não elevaram a mortalidade em comparação a indivíduos com níveis normais de cloro. Não foi encontrada associação entre distúrbios do sódio ou do cloro e mortalidade hospitalar nos subgrupos com DRC e IRA. Conclusões: Em nossa análise exploratória, apenas hipernatremia apresentou associação com mortalidade hospitalar em pacientes com IRA ou DRC submetidos a hemodiálise aguda.

Weighing the prognostic role of hyponatremia in hospitalized patients with metastatic solid tumors: the HYPNOSIS study.

Previous works linked low sodium concentration with mortality risk in cancer. We aimed at weighing the prognostic impact of hyponatremia in all consecutive patients with metastatic solid tumors admitted in a two-years period at our medical oncology department. Patients were included in two cohorts based on serum sodium concentration on admission. A total of 1025 patients were included, of whom 279 (27.2%) were found to be hyponatremic. The highest prevalence of hyponatremia was observed in biliary tract (51%), prostate (45%) and small-cell lung cancer (38.9%). With a median follow-up of 26.9 months, median OS was 2 months and 13.2 months for the hyponatremia versus control cohort, respectively (HR, 2.65; P < 0.001). In the multivariable model, hyponatremia was independently associated with poorer OS (HR, 1.66; P < 0.001). According to the multivariable model, a nomogram system was developed and validated in an external set of patients. We weighed over time the influence of hyponatremia on survival of patients with metastatic solid tumors and pointed out the possibility to exploit serum sodium assessment to design integrated prognostic tools. Our study also highlights the need for a deeper characterization of the biological role of extracellular sodium levels in tumor development and progression.

Impact of preoperative hyponatraemia on paediatric perioperative mortality.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative hyponatraemia is an independent risk factor for postoperative mortality in adults. To our knowledge, this has not been investigated in children. METHODS: Using data from the 2014 and 2015 data sets of the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program-Pediatric (NSQIP-P), we conducted a retrospective study of children undergoing surgery. The primary outcome was 30-day all-cause mortality. The secondary outcomes of interest were postoperative seizure within 30 days and prolonged length of stay. To identify any independent association between preoperative hyponatraemia, defined as mild (serum sodium of 131-135 mEq L-1) or severe (≤130 mEq L-1), and death, postoperative seizures, or prolonged length of stay, multivariable logistic regression models were generated. RESULTS: A total of 152 894 patients were identified, and of these 35 291 were included in the final analysis. Preoperative hyponatraemia was present in 5422 patients or 15.4% of the final cohort. There were 432 (0.80%) deaths at 30 days. Compared with patients with a normal preoperative sodium concentration, those with mild (P=0.003; odds ratio [OR]: 1.59; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.17-2.18) and severe (P=0.002; OR: 2.16; 95% CI: 1.32-3.54) hyponatraemia had increased rates of death, after adjusting for co-morbidity and procedural complexity. Both mild (P<0.001; OR: 1.53; 95% CI: 1.42-1.65) and severe (P<0.001; OR: 1.51; 95% CI: 1.19-1.93) hyponatraemia were independently associated with prolonged length of stay, after adjusting for relevant co-variates. CONCLUSIONS: This retrospective analysis identified an association between preoperative hyponatraemia and perioperative mortality and length of stay in paediatric patients.

The prevalence of sodium abnormalities in moderate to severe traumatic brain injury patients in a level 1 Trauma unit in Durban.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of sodium abnormalities in the moderate to severe brain injury patient is not known in the South African population. METHOD: Patients admitted to the trauma intensive care unit between January 2013 and June 2015 with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury were included in the study. Descriptive statistics, tests of association and tests of differences were used. RESULTS: There were 184 patients with 143 (77.7%) males and 41 (22.3%) females. Abnormal sodium was present in 126 (68.4%), 61 of whom had hyponatremia and 65 hypernatremia, a prevalence of 33.1% and 35.3% respectively. Of the 65 patients with hypernatremia, 52 (80%) had dehydration, 7 (10.7%) had diabetes insipidus (DI) and 6 (9.3%) had hyperosmolar therapy as the cause. Of the 61 patients with hyponatremia, the commonest cause was fluid overload in 47 patients (77.1%) with SIADH in 11 (18%) and CSWS in 3 (4.9%). Death occurred in 34 (18.5%) patients and diagnosis was found to be significantly associated with mortality (p = 0.01), the most common diagnoses amongst those who died being dehydration (29.4%), fluid overload (17.7%) and DI (14.7%). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of sodium abnormalities was 126 (68.4%) patients of whom 61 (33.1%) had hyponatremia and 65 (35.3%) hypernatremia. In those patients who survived, a later onset was related to a better outcome. The GOS in DI tended to be worse.

Developing and validating a preoperative risk score to predict 90-day mortality after liver resection.

BACKGROUND: Hepatobiliary surgeons continue to expand the pool of patients undergoing liver resection using combinations of surgical and interventional procedures with chemotherapy. Improved perioperative care allows for operation on higher risk surgical patients. Postoperative outcomes, including 90-day mortality that improved over the past decade but still varies across cohorts. This study developed a preoperative risk score, on the basis significant clinical and laboratory variables, to predict 90-day mortality after hepatectomy. METHODS: All patients who underwent hepatectomy between 2011 and 2016 were included. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed to identify the predictors of postoperative mortality and a risk score was derived and validated. RESULTS: The overall 90-day mortality rate in the derivation cohort (n = 1269 patients) was 4.0% (N = 51). Increasing patient age (P < 0.001), extent of resection (P = 0.001), diabetes mellitus (P = 0.006), and low preoperative sodium (P = 0.012) were predictors of the increased 90-day mortality in the multivariable analysis. The risk model developed based on these factors had an AUROC of 0.778 (P < 0.001) and remained significant in a validation cohort of 788 patients (AUROC: 0.703, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The proposed preoperative risk score to predict 90-day mortality after liver resection could be useful for appropriate counseling, optimization, and risk-adjusted assessment of surgical outcomes.

Hyponatremia associated with long-term medication use in the elderly: an analysis in general practice.

INTRODUCTION The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of hyponatremia, its association with long-term medication use and underlying chronic conditions, the rate of hospitalisation and death within 3 months from its discovery and its management in community-dwelling older people. METHODS One year of data for ~5635 patients aged >65 years was extracted from the databases of 19 general practitioners (GPs); 2569 (45.6%) were checked for hyponatremia. RESULTS Hyponatremia occurred in 205 (8.0%) of 2569 checked individuals: 78.5% (161/205) had hypertension, 31.2% (64/205) diabetes, 23.9% (49/205) chronic renal failure; 38.0% (78/205) received diuretics, 36.6% (75/205) renin-angiotensin system antagonists (ACE-I/ARB) and 9.8% (20/205) serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Drug consumption was higher in hyponatremic patients, although only diuretics, ACE-I/ARB, anti-arrhythmics and opioids were significantly associated with hyponatremia. The likelihood of hyponatremia trebled when four drugs were taken, and it was seven-fold higher with the use of six drugs. Hyponatremia was associated with a higher prevalence of chronic illnesses and higher rate of hospitalisation (13.7% vs 7.7%, P = 0.005) and death (3.9% vs 1.8%, P < 0.035). The use of at least one long-term medication was associated with hospitalisation or death in hyponatremic patients (10% vs 6.3%, P = 0.010). Less than 20% of hyponatremic patients had their sodium level checked again after 1 month. DISCUSSION Hyponatremia is not uncommon among community-living older patients, especially in patients taking medications potentially causing hyponatremia. Hyponatremic patients are likely to encounter more serious events, including hospitalisation and death. Targeted training of GPs is desirable to improve their practice.

The prevalence and mortality of hyponatremia is seriously underestimated in Chinese general medical patients: an observational retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Hyponatremia (serum sodium concentration < 135 mmol/L) is the most common electrolyte abnormality and is a predictor of the mortality of hospitalized patients in Western countries. However, hyponatremia data are lacking in Asian countries. Here we evaluate the epidemiology and mortality of hyponatremia in general medical hospitalized patients in China. METHODS: This is a cohort study of 154,378 adults who were hospitalized between 2008 and 2012 at a teaching hospital in Beijing. We identified hospital patients with hyponatremia and calculated the prevalence and in-hospital mortality of hyponatremia. We also conducted a comprehensive retrospective review of the medical records of patients who had severe hyponatremia (serum sodium <120 mmol/L) during hospitalization in 2012. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of hyponatremia at some point during hospitalization was 17.5% (26,990 patients), but only 0.26% (394 patients) of cases were identified with the diagnostic code of hyponatremia. Hyponatremia was more common in patients with infectious disease, cancer, or cardiovascular disease as the primary reason for hospitalization based on discharge diagnosis, with prevalences of 33.0, 25.9 and 24.9%, respectively. The in-hospital mortality was 0.48% amongst patients without hyponatremia compared to 3.57 and 20.23% in patients with serum sodium levels of 130-134 and <120 mmol/L, resulting in multivariable adjusted odds ratios (ORs) of 4.8 (95% CI 4.3-5.4) and 32.9 (95% CI 25.2-42.3), respectively. The mortality risk increased with increasing severity of hyponatremia in all diagnostic groups. After the multivariate adjustment, only the Charlson Comorbidity Index and age were independently associated with death risk (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.14-1.64 and OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.00-1.09, respectively) in the patients with severe hyponatremia. CONCLUSIONS: Hyponatremia is highly prevalent among Chinese hospitalized patients and is associated with increased in-hospital mortality risk. Physicians should raise awareness to improve the prognosis of hyponatremia.

Clinical Characteristics and Prognosis of Elderly Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients Complicated with Hyponatremia: A Retrospective Analysis.

AIM: This study was designed to evaluate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of elderly small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients complicated with hyponatremia, thus providing increased attention for appropriate intervention and improving outcomes in symptomatic subjects. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The clinical data of 320 patients with SCLC in the Yuhuangding Hospital from March 1st, 2006, to March 1st, 2012, were studied retrospectively. The prognosis and possible association with hyponatremia was investigated. RESULTS: The incidence rate of hyponatremia in SCLC was 46.56% (149/320). The mean survival time was 1.10±0.42 years in patients with normal values and 0.83±0.35 years in patients with subnormal serum sodium. In the hyponatremia group, the mean survival time of corrected hyponatremia patients was 0.91±0.42 years, which was significantly longer than uncorrected hyponatremia patients whose mean survival time was 0.68±0.26 years (t=2.75, p<0.05) after symptomatic treatment. The mean survival time of the normal group and the hyponatremia group in elderly patients had a tendency to decrease when compared to another group of patients younger than 60 years old. Hyponatremia at 1- and 3-year follow-up was associated with worse survival rates (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The severity of hyponatremia has unfavorable prognostic impacts. Elderly SCLC patients with hyponatremia are difficult to cure and associated with significantly shorter survival, especially in the uncorrected group. It is important that the cause of the hyponatremia is diagnosed at an early stage and precise medical treatment is provided.

Utility and Safety of Tolvaptan in Cirrhotic Patients with Hyponatremia: a Prospective Cohort Study

Abstract: Introduction and aim. Hyponatremia is common in patients with decompensated cirrhosis and is associated with increased mortality. Tolvaptan, a vasopressor V2 receptor antagonist, can increase free wáter excretion, but its efficacy and safety in cirrhotic patients remain unclear. Material and methods. We studied the usage and safety of tolvaptan in cirrhotic patients in a real-life, non-randomized, multicenter prospective cohort study. Forty-nine cirrhotic patients with hyponatremia were treated with tolvaptan 15 mg daily, and 48 patients not treated with tolvaptan in the same period served as controls. Improvement in serum sodium level was defined as an increase in serum sodium from < 125 to ≥ 125 mmol/L or from 125-134 to ≥ 135 mmol/L on day 7. Results. Twenty-three (47%) patients in the tolvaptan group and 17 (35%) in the control group had normal serum sodium on day 7 (p = 0.25). Serum sodium improved in 30 (61%) patients in the tolvaptan group and 17 (35%) patients in the control group (p = 0.011). Adverse events occurred in 46-47% of patients in both groups, and tolvaptan was not associated with worsened liver function. No patient with normal serum sodium on day 7 died within 30 days of treatment, whereas 16% of those with persistent hyponatremia died (p = 0.0019). Conclusion. In conclusion, short-term tolvaptan treatment is safe and can improve serum sodium level in cirrhotic patients with hyponatremia. Normalization of serum sodium level is associated with better survival.

The Effect of Serum Sodium on Survival in Patients Treated by Peritoneal Dialysis in the United Kingdom.

♦ BACKGROUND: Studies in hemodialysis patients suggest that hyponatremia is associated with increased mortality. However, results from peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients are discordant. We wished to establish whether there was an association between serum sodium and mortality risk in PD patients. ♦ METHODS: We analyzed 3,108 PD patients enrolled at day 90 of renal replacement therapy (RRT) into the UK Renal Registry (UKRR) data base with available serum sodium measurements (in 3 groups: ≤ 137, 138 - 140, ≥ 141 mmol/L) who were then followed up until death or the censoring date (31 December 2012). Analysis used Cox-regression with adjustment for age, sex, year of starting RRT, primary renal disease, serum albumin, smoking, and comorbidities. ♦ RESULTS: Unadjusted mortality rates were 118.6/1,000 person-years (py), 83.4/1,000 py, and 83.5/1,000 py for the lowest, middle, and highest serum sodium tertiles, respectively. After adjustment for covariates, patients in the lowest serum sodium group had almost 50% increased risk of dying compared with those with the highest serum sodium (hazard ratio [HR] 1.49, confidence interval [CI]:1.28 - 1.74), with a graded association between serum sodium and mortality. The association of serum sodium with mortality varied by age (p interaction < 0.001), and whilst this association attenuated after adjustment for confounding variables in the older age groups (55 - 64, and > 65 years), it remained in the younger age group of 18 - 54 years (HR 2.24 [1.36 - 3.70] in the lowest compared with the highest sodium tertile). ♦ CONCLUSIONS: Lower serum sodium concentrations at the start of RRT in PD patients are associated with increased risk of mortality. Whilst this association may well be due to confounding in the older age groups, the persistent strong association between hyponatremia and mortality in the younger age group after adjustment for the available confounders suggests that prospective studies are required to assess whether active intervention to maintain serum sodium changes outcomes.

Associations of dysnatremias with mortality in chronic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND: Hyponatremia and hypernatremia are associated with death in the general population and those with chronic kidney disease (CKD). We studied the associations between dysnatremias, all-cause mortality and causes of death in a large cohort of Stage 3 and 4 CKD patients. METHODS: We included 45 333 patients with Stage 3 and 4 CKDs followed in a large healthcare system. Associations between hyponatremia (<136 mmol/L) and hypernatremia (>145), and all-cause mortality and causes of death (cardiovascular, malignancy related and non-cardiovascular/non-malignancy related) were studied using Cox proportional hazards and competing risk models. RESULTS: Dysnatremias were found in 9.2% of the study population. In separate multivariable Cox proportional hazards models using baseline serum sodium levels and time-dependent repeated measures, both hyponatremia and hypernatremia were associated with all-cause mortality. In the competing risk analyses, hyponatremia was significantly associated with increased risk for various cause-specific mortality categories [cardiovascular (hazard ratio, HR 1.16, 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.04, 1.30), malignancy related (HR 1.48, 95% CI: 1.33, 1.65) and non-cardiovascular/non-malignancy deaths (HR 1.25, 95% CI: 1.13, 1.39)], while hypernatremia was significantly associated with higher non-cardiovascular/non-malignancy mortality only (HR 1.36, 95% CI: 1.08, 1.72). CONCLUSIONS: In those with CKD, hyponatremia was associated with all-cause mortality, cardiovascular, malignancy and non-cardiovascular/non-malignancy-related deaths. Hypernatremia was associated with all-cause and non-cardiovascular/non-malignancy-related deaths. Further studies are needed to elucidate the mechanisms of differences in cause-specific death among CKD patients with hyponatremia and hypernatremia.

Hyponatremia in Patients with Community Acquired Pneumonia.

INTRODUCTION: Community acquired pneumonia is one the frequent cause of hospital admissions. Whereas, hyponatremia is a common electrolyte abnormality in hospitalized patients and has been shown to be associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. We aim to studyt the association of hyponatremia with community acquired pneumonia in terms of morbidity and mortality. METHODS: A prospective observational hospital based study was conducted in a hospital for a year. All patients with a diagnosis of community acquired pneumonia and admitted in medicine ward, were included. Patients with diarrhea, known Chronic Kidney Disease, Heart Failure, Cirrhosis of Liver, Malignancy, taking diuretics, chemical pneumonitis, interstitial pneumonias and other debilitating disease were excluded. RESULTS: Among the 72 cases of CAP, 61% were females and 39% were males. The mean age of patients was 51.3 years, 22 (30.55%) patients had severe CAP. A total of 7 cases expired with an overall mortality of 13.7%. The mortality risk increased with increasing CURB-65 score; CURB-65 score 0, 0%; CURB-65 score 1, 0%; CURB-65 score 2, 0%; CURB-65 score 3, 10%; CURB-65 score 4, 33%; CURB-65 score 5, 100%. i.e higher the CURB-65 score, higher the death rate of CAP patients (p<0.05). Hyponatremia was a common occurrence at hospital admission with an incidence of 36.11%. Hyponatremia at hospital admission was also associated with a longer length of hospital stay in cured CAP patients. The mean length of hospital stay was 4.3 days. CONCLUSIONS: High CURB-65 scores and lower values of serum sodium at admission in patients of CAP are associated with adverse outcomes both in terms of mortality and longer length of hospital stay. CURB-65 score should be incorporated into assessment of CAP and sodium of the patients during admission.

Malignancy associated SIADH: Characterization and clinical implications.

PURPOSE: To determine the distribution of etiologies for the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) in hospitalized patients with active malignancies and to characterize them according to the different etiologies. METHODS: A single center retrospective study including all patients with active malignancies diagnosed with SIADH in a large community hospital and tertiary center between 1 January 2007 and 1 January 2013. Two physicians reviewed every patient's medical file for predetermined relevant clinical data. RESULTS: The study cohort included 204 patients. 74.4% of those with solid tumors had metastatic disease. Most patients (149, 73%) had malignancy associated SIADH, while 55 (27%) had SIADH due to other etiologies. All of the major malignancy types were implicated in SIADH. Patients with breast cancer without lung or brain involvement were significantly less likely to be diagnosed with malignancy associated SIADH compared with other malignancies [Odds ratio (OR) 0.031, 95% CI 0.003-0.25, p < 0.001]. Patients with malignancy associated SIADH had lower serum sodium concentrations on short-term follow-up (p = 0.024) and significantly shorter median survival (58 vs. 910 days, p < 0.001). Short-term hyponatremia correction was associated with better survival. CONCLUSIONS: SIADH is associated with most malignancy types. Physicians caring for patients with breast cancer without lung or brain involvement diagnosed with SIADH without an obvious etiology should consider obtaining lung and brain imaging to rule out undiagnosed metastatic spread. Patients with malignancy associated SIADH have considerably worse outcomes compared to cancer patient with SIADH due to other etiologies. Short-term sodium concentration can be used as a prognostic marker for these patients.

Posttransplant Hyponatremia Predicts Graft Failure and Mortality in Kidney Transplantation Recipients: A Multicenter Cohort Study in Korea.

Although hyponatremia is related to poorer outcomes in several clinical settings, its significance remains unresolved in kidney transplantation. Data on 1,786 patients who received kidney transplantations between January 2000 and December 2011 were analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups according to the corrected sodium values for serum glucose 3 months after their transplantations (<135 mmol/L vs. ≥135 mmol/L). Subsequently, the hazard ratios (HRs) for biopsy-proven acute rejection, graft failure, and all-cause mortality were calculated after adjustments for several immunological and non-immunological covariates. 4.0% of patients had hyponatremia. Patients with hyponatremia had higher risks for graft failure and all-cause mortality than did the counterpart normonatremia group; the adjusted HRs for graft failure and mortality were 3.21 (1.47-6.99) and 3.03 (1.21-7.54), respectively. These relationships remained consistent irrespective of heart function. However, hyponatremia was not associated with the risk of acute rejection. The present study addressed the association between hyponatremia and graft and patient outcomes in kidney transplant recipients. Based on the study results, our recommendation is to monitor serum sodium levels after kidney transplantations.

Hyponatremia in the outpatient setting: clinical characteristics, risk factors, and outcome.

PURPOSE: Hyponatremia is a common disorder and hyponatremia in the outpatient setting is not extensively studied. Our aim was to investigate the characteristics of hyponatremia in ambulatory patients. METHODS: Seventy-six adult outpatients with hyponatremia were enrolled in this prospective study. Demographic features, presenting symptoms and signs, associating morbidities, medications, laboratory findings, mortalities, and length of hospital stay, were recorded. RESULTS: Mean age was 74.7 ± 12.7 years, and 52 (68.4 %) were female whereas 24 (31.6 %) were male. Mean sodium concentration was 123.6 ± 6.6 mEq/L. Leading cause was thiazide diuretic use (n = 37, 48.7 %) and approximately half of the patients (n = 40, 52.6 %) had a multifactorial etiology. Severe hyponatremia (sodium < 125 mEq/L) was identified in 37 (48.7 %). Thiazide diuretic use, vomiting, and apathy were independent predictors of severe hyponatremia. Eight (10.5 %) patients had a mortal course. A relatively younger age, male gender, presenting sign of lethargy, associating morbidities of malignancy, chronic liver disease, and hypoalbuminemia were risk factors for mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Hyponatremia is prevalent among elderly, especially in women and with thiazide diuretics. Apart from the trend toward sodium depletion observed in healthy elderly which occurs due to changes in the tubular handling of sodium, a multifactorial etiology including thiazides seems to predict the occurrence and the severity of hyponatremia. Hyponatremia may be a significant cause of mortality in seniors. A relatively younger age, male gender, association of cirrhosis, malignancy, and hypoalbuminemia predict mortality. In elderly outpatients, identification of the risk factors for hyponatremia and close monitoring are imperative to reduce the related mortality and morbidity.

Hyponatremia: a significant factor in a poor prognosis for cirrhosis with Child A/B after variceal eradication.

BACKGROUND: To identify prognostic factors prospectively in cirrhosis after the eradication of esophageal varices (EV). METHODS: There were 52 cirrhosis patients (Child-Pugh A 24, B 28) who showed the eradication of EV after the endoscopic sclerotherapy (median observation period, 25.5 months). RESULTS: Eighteen patients showed a recurrence of EV. The cumulative overall survival rate was 92.2% at 1 year, 70.9% at 3 years, and 47.2% at 5 years. Univariate analysis showed that serum sodium concentration (hazard ratio [HR] 0.724, P = 0.0006), serum aspartate transaminase (HR 1.019, P = 0.0075), serum alanine transaminase (HR 1.025, P = 0.0239), and serum creatinine (HR 11.311, P = 0.044) levels before treatment were significant factors for a poor prognosis. Multivariate analysis revealed that serum sodium concentration (HR 0.711, P = 0.0022) was the only significant factor. The cumulative survival rate was lower in patients with hyponatremia (<135 mEq/l, a best cut-off value; 83.3% at 1 year, and 33.3% at 3 years), than in those without (93.3% at 1 year, 77.3% at 3 years and 47.2% at 5 years). CONCLUSIONS: Pre-treatment hyponatremia is a significant prognostic factor in cirrhosis with Child A/B after the eradication of EV by the endoscopic sclerotherapy.

Analysis of hyponatraemia associated post-operative mortality in 3897 hip fracture patients.

Hyponatraemia is common in hospitalised patients. In recent years the relationship between hyponatraemia and bone metabolism, falls and fractures has become more established. This study evaluates the prevalence of hyponatraemia (plasma sodium<135mmol/l) in 3897 patients undergoing operative treatment for hip fracture and the relationship between hyponatraemia and mortality in these patients. Hyponatraemia was an independent risk factor for increased post-operative mortality on multivariate analysis. Median age at admission was 83 years. Hyponatraemia was present in 19.1% of patients with hip fracture on admission, 29.5% of patients in the first 24h post-operatively and 20% of patients at discharge. There was a significant association between hyponatraemia and time from admission to surgery indicating that patients admitted with hyponatraemia waited longer. The median follow-up time was 863 (range 0-4352) days. There were 2460 deaths (63.1% of the original 3897 patients) prior to the censor date. A total of 1144 patients (29.4% of the original 3897 patients) died within 12 months of discharge. Median time to death for patients with and without hyponatraemia on admission was 34 months (SE 1.7 months) and 41 months (SE 2.5 months) respectively (p=0.003). Median time to death for patients with and without hyponatraemia within 24h post-operatively was 35 months (SE 2.5 months) and 42 months (SE 1.7 months) respectively (p=0.004). Following elimination of other independent variables associated with increased mortality, hyponatraemia on admission was associated with an increased risk of death (adjusted HR 1.15, p=0.005). Post-operative hyponatraemia was also associated with an increased risk of death (adjusted HR 1.15, p=0.006). Trends suggested that hyponatraemia within 48h of discharge was associated with an increased risk of death (adjusted HR 1.15, p=0.636). Hyponatraemia is common in elderly patients with hip fractures both at initial presentation and during admission. In this vulnerable patient group, hyponatraemia may delay time to definitive surgery and is a potentially reversible cause of increased post-operative mortality. Every effort should be made to identify and correct hyponatraemia in hip fracture patients.

Resolution of severe hyponatraemia is associated with improved survival in patients with cancer.

BACKGROUND: Hyponatraemia is a common finding in patients with cancer, and has been shown to be associated with poor prognosis in different settings. We have analysed the impact of severe hyponatraemia in patients with cancer. METHODS: A retrospective review of all patients admitted to a specialist cancer hospital with a plasma sodium of less than 115 mmol/l and a diagnosis of malignancy was undertaken. Patient and tumour characteristics were analysed as well as impact of hyponatraemia management on overall survival and number of lines of cancer treatment received. RESULTS: 57 patients were identified. 84% had advanced Stage 3 or 4 cancer and approximately 85% with data available had symptoms attributable to hyponatraemia. Mean length of hospital stay was 12 days, and overall survival (OS) was 5.1 months. Plasma sodium level corrected in 56% of patients and here OS was 13.6 months compared to 16 days in those whose sodium did not correct (p < 0.001). Those whose sodium corrected were more likely to receive further lines of anti-cancer treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Severe hyponatraemia in cancer is associated with very poor survival, but correction of the sodium level leads to additional treatment and significantly greater overall survival (although it is not possible to determine if this is due to specific therapy of the hyponatraemia or the resolving hyponatraemia reflects an improvement in the clinical condition). Aggressive treatment of hyponatraemia may allow more anti-cancer treatment and improve survival.