Acute Severe Hyponatremia following Hysteroscopic Procedure in a Young Patient: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Background. Hysteroscopic surgery is a minimally invasive procedure used to diagnose and treat intrauterine pathologies. It requires distension of the uterine cavity for the adequate visualization of the operative field. Glycine (1.5%) is one of the most commonly used solutions because it is nonconductive and also has good optical properties. However, acute hyponatremia is a critical complication that can develop after the absorption of a sufficient amount of the irrigation medium. Case Presentation. We report a case of a 43-year-old female patient who developed acute symptomatic hyponatremia (104 mEq/L) and pulmonary edema secondary to hysteroscopic resection of leiomyoma and hastily approached with rapid sodium correction measures. Conclusion. Multiple strategies can be taken to reduce the risk of fluid absorption and subsequent hyponatremia. Moreover, attention should be paid to the treatment approach for patients with acute hyponatremia following hysteroscopic procedures; rapid correction of acute hyponatremia for such patients might be safe, although there is no consensus in the literature, and further trials are needed.

Osmotic demyelination syndrome following slow correction of hyponatraemia

Hyponatraemia is the most common electrolyte disturbance observed in hospital inpatients. We report a 90-year-old woman admitted generally unwell following a fall with marked confusion. Examination revealed a tender suprapubic region, and investigations observed elevated inflammatory markers and bacteriuria. Admission investigations demonstrated a serum sodium of 110 mmol/L with associated serum osmolality 236 mmol/kg and urine osmolality 346 mmol/kg. She was treated for hyponatraemia secondary to syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH) and urosepsis. However, her serum sodium failed to normalise despite fluid restriction, necessitating treatment with demeclocycline and hypertonic saline. Despite slow reversal of hyponatraemia over 1 month, the patient developed generalised seizures with pontine and thalamic changes on MRI consistent with osmotic demyelination syndrome (ODS). This case highlights the risk of ODS, a rare but devastating consequence of hyponatraemia treatment, despite cautious sodium correction.

Osmotic Demyelination Syndrome Following Correction of Hyponatremia by ≤10 mEq/L per day

Background: Overly rapid correction of chronic hyponatremia may lead to osmotic demyelination syndrome. European guidelines recommend a correction to ≤10 mEq/L in 24 hours to prevent this complication. However, osmotic demyelination syndrome may occur despite adherence to these guidelines. Methods: We searched the literature for reports of osmotic demyelination syndrome with rates of correction of hyponatremia <10 mEq/L in 24 hours. The reports were reviewed to identify specific risk factors for this complication. Results: We identified 19 publications with a total of 21 patients that were included in our analysis. The mean age was 52 years of which 67% were male. All of the patients had community acquired chronic hyponatremia. Twelve patients had an initial serum sodium <115 mEq/L, of which seven had an initial serum sodium ≤105 mEq/L. Other risk factors identified included alcohol use disorder (n=11), hypokalemia (n=5), liver disease (n=6), and malnutrition (n=11). The maximum rate of correction in patients with serum sodium <115 mEq/L was at least 8 mEq/L in all but 1 patient. In contrast, correction was <8 mEq/L in all but 2 patients with serum sodium >115 mEq/L. Among the latter group, osmotic demyelination syndrome developed before hospital admission or was unrelated to hyponatremia overcorrection. Four patients died (19%), 5 had full recovery (24%) and 9 (42%) had varying degrees of residual neurological deficits. Conclusions: Osmotic demyelination syndrome can occur in patients with chronic hyponatremia with a serum sodium <115 mEq/L despite rates of serum sodium correction <10 mEq/L in 24 hours. In patients with severe hyponatremia and high risk features, especially those with serum sodium <115 mEq/L, we recommend limiting serum sodium correction to <8 mEq/L. Thiamine supplementation is advisable for any hyponatremic patient whose dietary intake has been poor.

Tolvaptan in the Management of Acute Euvolemic Hyponatremia After Transsphenoidal Surgery: A Retrospective Single-Center Analysis

IntroductionSyndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis (SIAD) can be a complication of hypothalamus-pituitary surgery. The use of tolvaptan in this setting is not well established, hence the primary aim of this study was to assess the sodium correction rates attained with tolvaptan compared with standard treatments (fluid restriction and/or hypertonic saline). Furthermore, we compared the length of hospital stay in the two treatment groups and investigated the occurrence of overcorrection and side effects including osmotic demyelination syndrome.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed 308 transsphenoidal surgical procedures performed between 2011 and 2019 at our hospital. We selected adult patients who developed post-operative SIAD and recorded sodium monitoring, treatment modalities and outcomes. Correction rates were adjusted based on pre-treatment sodium levels.ResultsTwenty-nine patients (9.4%) developed post-operative SIAD. Tolvaptan was administered to 14 patients (median dose 15 mg). Standard treatments were employed in 14 subjects (fluid restriction n=11, hypertonic saline n=1, fluid restriction and hypertonic saline n=2). Tolvaptan yielded higher adjusted sodium correction rates (12.0 mmolL-1/24h and 13.4 mmolL-1/48h) than standard treatments (1.8 mmolL-1/24h, p&lt;0.001, and 4.5 mmolL-1/48h, p=0.004, vs. tolvaptan). The correction rate exceeded 10 mmolL-1/24h or 18 mmolL-1/48h in 9/14 and 2/14 patients treated with tolvaptan, respectively, and in no patient who received standard treatments. No side effects including osmotic demyelination occurred. Tolvaptan was associated with a shorter hospital stay (11vs.15 days, p=0.01).ConclusionsTolvaptan is more effective than fluid restriction (with or without hypertonic saline) and allows for a shortened hospital stay in patients with SIAD after transsphenoidal surgery. However, its dose and duration should be carefully tailored, and close monitoring is recommended to allow prompt detection of overcorrection.

Evaluation of Serum Sodium Correction Rates for Management of Hyponatremia in Hospitalized Patients

Background: Appropriate correction of hyponatremia can reduce complications such as osmotic demyelination syndrome (ODS). Objective: To evaluate rates of serum sodium correction in hyponatremic hospitalized patients and identify factors associated with higher rates of overcorrection. Methods: This is an institutional review board–approved single-center, retrospective chart review of patients ≥18 years of age with at least 1 serum sodium <130 mEq/L during hospitalization. The primary end point was percentage of patients appropriately corrected for hyponatremia. Appropriate correction was defined as a sodium change ≤12 mEq/L over 24 hours and 18 mEq/L over 48 hours, and overcorrection was defined as an increase in serum sodium exceeding these cutoffs. Secondary end points included incidence of ODS, poor neurological outcome, intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital lengths of stay (LOSs), and in-hospital mortality. Results: Of 234 patients evaluated, 100 were included. Mean age was 72 ± 16 years, and 47% were male. Overcorrection occurred in 14 patients. There was no incidence of ODS. Rates of poor neurological outcome ( P = 0.77), ICU ( P = 0.09) and hospital LOS ( P = 0.13), and in-hospital mortality ( P = 0.20) were similar between appropriately corrected and overcorrected patients. Using a logistic regression analysis, severe hyponatremia (serum sodium < 120 mEq/L; P = 0.0122) and history of alcohol use disorder ( P < 0.001) were risk factors found to be associated with overcorrection. Conclusion and Relevance: Overcorrection of hyponatremia occurred in 14% of patients in this study. To minimize this risk, further caution should be taken when managing patients presenting with identified risk factors.

Multifactorial diabetes insipidus during pregnancy: a challenging diagnosis

Diabetes insipidus (DI) is characterised by thirst and polydipsia with hypotonic polyuria. Several forms exist, namely, central or pituitary, nephrogenic and gestational and must be differentiated for adequate treatment. We describe the case of a 41-year-old woman chronically infected with HIV who had been recently medicated with a tenofovir-based antiretroviral treatment and who, at 22 weeks of pregnancy, presented with transient gestational DI. Obstetric ultrasound revealed oligohydramnios and foetal growth restriction that did not improve despite serum sodium correction. The severity of the case suggested the presence of an underlying disorder and elevated copeptin levels indicated that an underlying subclinical form of nephrogenic DI, possibly induced by HIV-related nephropathy or tenofovir use, was present and rendered clinically overt during pregnancy.

Treatment of symptomatic hyponatremia with hypertonic saline – a real-life observational study

Objective: Treatment of symptomatic hyponatremia is not well established. European guidelines recommend bolus-wise administration of 150ml of 3% hypertonic saline. This recommendation is based, however, on low level of evidence. Design: Observational study Methods: Sixty-two consecutive hyponatremic patients admitted to the emergency department or intensive care unit of the University Hospital Wuerzburg were divided in subgroups according to treatment (150ml bolus of 3% hypertonic saline or conventional treatment), and symptom severity. Treatment target was defined as an increase in serum sodium by 5-10mEq/L within first 24h and maximum 8mEq/L during subsequent 24h. Results: 33/62 patients (53%) presented with moderate and 29/62 (47%) with severe symptoms. 36 were treated with hypertonic saline and 26 conventionally. In the hypertonic saline group serum sodium increased from 116±7 to 123±6 (24h) and 127±6mEq/L (48h) and from 121±6 to 126±5 and 129±4mEq/L in the conventional group, respectively. Overcorrection at 24h occurred more frequent in patients with severe than moderate symptoms (38% vs. 6%, p<0.05). Diuresis correlated positively with the degree of sodium overcorrection at 24h (r=0.6, p<0.01). Conventional therapies exposed patients to higher degrees of sodium fluctuations and an increased risk for insufficient sodium correction at 24h compared to hypertonic saline (RR 2.8, 95% CI 1.4-5.5). Conclusion: Sodium increase was more constant with hypertonic saline, but overcorrection rate was high, especially in severely symptomatic patients. Reducing bolus-volume and reevaluation before repeating bolus infusion might prevent overcorrection. Symptoms caused by exsiccosis can be misinterpreted as severely symptomatic hyponatremia and diuresis should be monitored.