RESUMEN
Objective To investigate the development,prevention and treatment of primary or secondary acute adrenal hypofunction with hyponatremia. Methods Forty-eight cases of acute adrenal hypofunction with hyponatremia from 1970 to 2006 were collected and divided into groups of hydrocephalus(n=23) and non-hydrocephalus(n=25).The causes,inducing factors,clinical manifestations,laboratory indexes,treatment and outcomes of the two groups were retrospectively analysed.In addition,another 48 patients with chronic adrenal hypofunction and 48 normal controls were included in the study. Results Infection constituted the most common inducing factor for the 48 cases of acute adrenal hypofunction with hyponatremia.Both natremia and urine cortisone were significantly lower in hydrocephalus and non-hydrocephalus patients than those in chronic adrenal hypofunction and controls(P