Small Cell Lung Cancer Patient with Profound Hyponatremia and Acute Neurological Symptoms: An Effective Treatment with Fludrocortisone
Hyponatremia is a frequent electrolyte abnormality in patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Being usually asymptomatic, hyponatremia may cause symptoms like nausea, fatigue, disorientation, headache, muscle cramps, or even seizures, particularly if severe and rapid decrease of serum sodium le...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2015-01-01
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| Series: | Case Reports in Oncological Medicine |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/286029 |
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| author | Jana Jaal Tõnu Jõgi Alan Altraja |
| author_facet | Jana Jaal Tõnu Jõgi Alan Altraja |
| author_sort | Jana Jaal |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Hyponatremia is a frequent electrolyte abnormality in patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Being usually asymptomatic, hyponatremia may cause symptoms like nausea, fatigue, disorientation, headache, muscle cramps, or even seizures, particularly if severe and rapid decrease of serum sodium levels occurs. Here we report a case of SCLC patient with severe hyponatremia and acute neurological symptoms that developed 2 days after the first course of second-line chemotherapy, most probably due to the release of antidiuretic hormone (ADH, also known as arginine vasopressin) during lysis of the tumour cells. Initial treatment consisted of continuous administration of hypertonic saline that resulted in improvement of patient’s neurological status. However, to obtain a persistent increase in serum sodium level, pharmacological intervention with oral fludrocortisone 0.1 mg twice daily was needed. We can therefore conclude that mineralocorticoids may be used to correct hyponatremia in SCLC patients when appropriate. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4ba4190b5c6b48ceb18a364e9bc44a0c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2090-6706 2090-6714 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2015-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Case Reports in Oncological Medicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-4ba4190b5c6b48ceb18a364e9bc44a0c2025-02-03T06:14:18ZengWileyCase Reports in Oncological Medicine2090-67062090-67142015-01-01201510.1155/2015/286029286029Small Cell Lung Cancer Patient with Profound Hyponatremia and Acute Neurological Symptoms: An Effective Treatment with FludrocortisoneJana Jaal0Tõnu Jõgi1Alan Altraja2Hematology and Oncology Clinic, Department of Radiotherapy and Oncological Therapy, Tartu University Hospital, 51014 Tartu, EstoniaHematology and Oncology Clinic, Department of Radiotherapy and Oncological Therapy, Tartu University Hospital, 51014 Tartu, EstoniaDepartment of Pulmonary Medicine, University of Tartu, 51014 Tartu, EstoniaHyponatremia is a frequent electrolyte abnormality in patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Being usually asymptomatic, hyponatremia may cause symptoms like nausea, fatigue, disorientation, headache, muscle cramps, or even seizures, particularly if severe and rapid decrease of serum sodium levels occurs. Here we report a case of SCLC patient with severe hyponatremia and acute neurological symptoms that developed 2 days after the first course of second-line chemotherapy, most probably due to the release of antidiuretic hormone (ADH, also known as arginine vasopressin) during lysis of the tumour cells. Initial treatment consisted of continuous administration of hypertonic saline that resulted in improvement of patient’s neurological status. However, to obtain a persistent increase in serum sodium level, pharmacological intervention with oral fludrocortisone 0.1 mg twice daily was needed. We can therefore conclude that mineralocorticoids may be used to correct hyponatremia in SCLC patients when appropriate.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/286029 |
| spellingShingle | Jana Jaal Tõnu Jõgi Alan Altraja Small Cell Lung Cancer Patient with Profound Hyponatremia and Acute Neurological Symptoms: An Effective Treatment with Fludrocortisone Case Reports in Oncological Medicine |
| title | Small Cell Lung Cancer Patient with Profound Hyponatremia and Acute Neurological Symptoms: An Effective Treatment with Fludrocortisone |
| title_full | Small Cell Lung Cancer Patient with Profound Hyponatremia and Acute Neurological Symptoms: An Effective Treatment with Fludrocortisone |
| title_fullStr | Small Cell Lung Cancer Patient with Profound Hyponatremia and Acute Neurological Symptoms: An Effective Treatment with Fludrocortisone |
| title_full_unstemmed | Small Cell Lung Cancer Patient with Profound Hyponatremia and Acute Neurological Symptoms: An Effective Treatment with Fludrocortisone |
| title_short | Small Cell Lung Cancer Patient with Profound Hyponatremia and Acute Neurological Symptoms: An Effective Treatment with Fludrocortisone |
| title_sort | small cell lung cancer patient with profound hyponatremia and acute neurological symptoms an effective treatment with fludrocortisone |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/286029 |
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