Hypernatremia among in-patients in intensive care unit and medical wards of a general hospital in Kuwait

To determine the incidence and etiology of hypernatremia in adult patients admitted to a general hospital in Kuwait. A hospital based retrospective study carried out between July 2009 and December 2009. Intensive Care Unit [ICU] and Medical inpatient wards, Department of Medicine, Al-Jahra Hospital, Kuwait. Ninety-two hypernatremia patients [41 male and 51 female] out of a total of 1825 patients were analyzed and their etiology studied. All blood samples were analyzed in biochemistry department on LX20 machine. Information regarding age, gender, highest serum sodium levels, clinical diagnoses and further clinical information suggesting causes of hypernatremia was gathered. Frequency, etiology, outcome and management of hypernatremia in adult inpatients. Out of a total of 1825 patients analyzed, 5.04% were diagnosed with hypernatremia with mean serum sodium of 150.9 mmol/l. Among major causes of hypernatremia were hyperglycemia [21.7%], IV fluids [21.7%] and dehydration [17.4%]. The overall incidence of hypernatremia in this hospital was 5.04%. Hyperglycemia and IV fluid administration were the commonest causes [21.7% each]. All patients were treated based on the treatment recommendations mentioned in the discussion. There were no cases with cerebral edema due to the treatment. However two patients with severe hypernatremia and sodium level of >/= 165 mmol/l, who had central diabetes insipidus [CDI] secondary to traumatic head injury, died in spite of the appropriate management of hypernatremia

Hypernatremia among in-patients of a General Hospital in Kuwait

To determine the incidence and aetiology of Hypernatremia in adult patients admitted to a general hospital in Kuwait as it has not been studied as frequently as hyponatremia. A hospital based retrospective study carried out between July 2009 to Dec 2009. Medical inpatient wards, department of medicine, Al-Jahra hospital, Kuwait. 92 hypernatremia patients [41 males and 51 females] of the total 1825 patients were analyzed and their aetiology studied. Frequency, aetiology and outcome of Hypernatremia in adult inpatients. All blood samples were analyzed in biochemistry department on LX20 machine. Information regarding age, gender, highest serum sodium levels, clinical diagnoses and further clinical information suggesting causes of hypernatremia was gathered. Results: Of the total 1825 patients analyzed, 5.04% were diagnosed with hypernatremia with a mean serum sodium of 150.9 mmol/L. Among major causes of hypernatremia were hyperglycemia [21.7%], IV fluids [21.7%] and dehydration [17.4%] The overall incidence of hypernatremia in this hospital was 5.04%. Hyperglycemia and IV fluid administration were the commonest causes. Prompt treatment of hypernatremia is necessary but care should be taken to avoid excessively rapid correction or overcorrection, which increases the risk of iatrogenic cerebral edema

Acute demyelinating encephalomyelitis with polyneuropathy caused by acute brucella infection: a case report

Brucellosis is a zoonotic infectious illness. It is the commonest zoonotic illness in the world. Our patient, a forty-year-old Saudi lady had fever, diminished level of consciousness, bilateral optic atrophy, bilateral sensorineural deafness and upper motor neurone type paraparesis with bladder involvement. This is an uncommon and rare combination of clinical presentation in acute brucellosis. Brain magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] showed features of acute demyelinating encephalomyelitis [ADEM]. Electrophysiological studies of the extremities revealed motor sensory neuropathy with axonal involvement. To the best of our knowledge, a case of acute brucellosis with such a combination involving both the central and peripheral systems simultaneously in a patient has not been reported before. After appropriate diagnosis our patient responded remarkably well to the treatment