Clinical Profile of Neonates with Hypernatremic Dehydration in an Outborn Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

ABSTRACT

This hospital-record review describes the clinical profile ofhypernatremic dehydration in neonates. 49 neonates (3.4% of thetotal admitted newborns) developed hypernatremic dehydrationbetween January 2014 and August 2015. The major presentingcomplaints were fever (34.6%), poor feeding (42.8%), loosestools (40.8%) and lethargy (26.5%). The mean (SD) time neededfor correction of hypernatremia was 38.6 (15.1) hours. Exclusivelybreastfed neonates had lesser complication rates ofhypernatremic dehydration.