Survival Following Extreme Hypernatraemia Associated with Severe Dehydration and Undiagnosed Diabetes Mellitus

We report a case of a previously well 58-year-old man, who presented with delirium and low GCS, and was found to have extreme hypernatraemia (Na+ = 191 mmol/L) and hyperglycaemia (glucose = 31 mmol/L). This resulted in a corrected serum sodium of 202 mmol/L. He was treated with fluid and electrolyte...

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Main Authors: Hao Xiao, Rahul Barmanray, Sarah Qian, Dilantha De Alwis, Gerard Fennessy
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2019-01-01
Series:Case Reports in Endocrinology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/4174259
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author Hao Xiao
Rahul Barmanray
Sarah Qian
Dilantha De Alwis
Gerard Fennessy
author_facet Hao Xiao
Rahul Barmanray
Sarah Qian
Dilantha De Alwis
Gerard Fennessy
author_sort Hao Xiao
collection DOAJ
description We report a case of a previously well 58-year-old man, who presented with delirium and low GCS, and was found to have extreme hypernatraemia (Na+ = 191 mmol/L) and hyperglycaemia (glucose = 31 mmol/L). This resulted in a corrected serum sodium of 202 mmol/L. He was treated with fluid and electrolyte replacement in the intensive care unit, and had returned to essentially normal function by hospital discharge. The aetiology was believed to be due to severe dehydration and a new diagnosis of diabetes mellitus. Extreme hypernatraemia (serum sodium level greater than 190 mmol/L) is rare and associated with a high mortality. The mainstay of treatment is careful fluid and electrolyte management. Most recommendations advise to reduce the serum sodium by 0.5 mmol/L/hour, due to concerns over cerebral oedema; however, there are reports that slower correction is associated with higher mortality. In this case, the initial corrected sodium of 202 mmol/L was steadily corrected to 160 mmol/L over 91 hours, at a rate of 0.46 mmol/L/hour. This demonstrates the safety of the recommended approach.
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series Case Reports in Endocrinology
spelling doaj-art-12fb7aec52954e3a832385f9f3fe55812025-02-03T01:03:32ZengWileyCase Reports in Endocrinology2090-65012090-651X2019-01-01201910.1155/2019/41742594174259Survival Following Extreme Hypernatraemia Associated with Severe Dehydration and Undiagnosed Diabetes MellitusHao Xiao0Rahul Barmanray1Sarah Qian2Dilantha De Alwis3Gerard Fennessy4Department of Intensive Care, Western Health, Melbourne, VIC, AustraliaDepartment of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Western Health, Melbourne, VIC, AustraliaDepartment of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Western Health, Melbourne, VIC, AustraliaDepartment of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Western Health, Melbourne, VIC, AustraliaDepartment of Intensive Care, Western Health, Melbourne, VIC, AustraliaWe report a case of a previously well 58-year-old man, who presented with delirium and low GCS, and was found to have extreme hypernatraemia (Na+ = 191 mmol/L) and hyperglycaemia (glucose = 31 mmol/L). This resulted in a corrected serum sodium of 202 mmol/L. He was treated with fluid and electrolyte replacement in the intensive care unit, and had returned to essentially normal function by hospital discharge. The aetiology was believed to be due to severe dehydration and a new diagnosis of diabetes mellitus. Extreme hypernatraemia (serum sodium level greater than 190 mmol/L) is rare and associated with a high mortality. The mainstay of treatment is careful fluid and electrolyte management. Most recommendations advise to reduce the serum sodium by 0.5 mmol/L/hour, due to concerns over cerebral oedema; however, there are reports that slower correction is associated with higher mortality. In this case, the initial corrected sodium of 202 mmol/L was steadily corrected to 160 mmol/L over 91 hours, at a rate of 0.46 mmol/L/hour. This demonstrates the safety of the recommended approach.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/4174259
spellingShingle Hao Xiao
Rahul Barmanray
Sarah Qian
Dilantha De Alwis
Gerard Fennessy
Survival Following Extreme Hypernatraemia Associated with Severe Dehydration and Undiagnosed Diabetes Mellitus
Case Reports in Endocrinology
title Survival Following Extreme Hypernatraemia Associated with Severe Dehydration and Undiagnosed Diabetes Mellitus
title_full Survival Following Extreme Hypernatraemia Associated with Severe Dehydration and Undiagnosed Diabetes Mellitus
title_fullStr Survival Following Extreme Hypernatraemia Associated with Severe Dehydration and Undiagnosed Diabetes Mellitus
title_full_unstemmed Survival Following Extreme Hypernatraemia Associated with Severe Dehydration and Undiagnosed Diabetes Mellitus
title_short Survival Following Extreme Hypernatraemia Associated with Severe Dehydration and Undiagnosed Diabetes Mellitus
title_sort survival following extreme hypernatraemia associated with severe dehydration and undiagnosed diabetes mellitus
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/4174259
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AT rahulbarmanray survivalfollowingextremehypernatraemiaassociatedwithseveredehydrationandundiagnoseddiabetesmellitus
AT sarahqian survivalfollowingextremehypernatraemiaassociatedwithseveredehydrationandundiagnoseddiabetesmellitus
AT dilanthadealwis survivalfollowingextremehypernatraemiaassociatedwithseveredehydrationandundiagnoseddiabetesmellitus
AT gerardfennessy survivalfollowingextremehypernatraemiaassociatedwithseveredehydrationandundiagnoseddiabetesmellitus