Liver cirrhosis; frequency and severity of hyponatremia in patients

ABSTRACT

Liver cirrhosis results from prolonged, widespread but patchy hepato-cellular necrosis due to various reasons. To determine the frequency and severity of hyponatremia in patients with liver cirrhosis. Descriptive case series study. Six months. Liaquat University Hospital Hyderabad. The cirrhotic subjects were assessed for hyponatremia and its severity. The data was analyzed in SPSS 16 and the frequency and percentage was calculated for hyponatremia and statistically p -value males and thirty five percent females of liver cirrhosis were studied. The mean age +/- SD of overall cirrhotic subjects was 40.79+/-7.83. The hyponatremia was identified in 72% [51 males and 21 females] patients. The mean +/-SD for Na+ level in overall population was 129.73+/-83.51 while it was 119.92+/-3.61 in hyponatraemic cirrhotic subjects. The sodium level in male and female hyponatraemic cirrhotic patients was 121.73+/-8.63 and 118.92+/-3.31. Dilutional hyponatremia is frequent in patients with liver cirrhosis