Symptoms, causes, management and outcomes of hyponatraemia: a single centre study among hospitalised adult patients in Malaysia

# Background Hyponatraemia is a common electrolyte abnormality seen in medical admissions. To date, there is no hospital-wide local study on hyponatraemia across the young, middle and older age groups. We evaluated the clinical features, aetiology, and outcomes of patients admitted in a tertiary ho...

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Main Authors: Jing Wen Wong, Jun Hui Tan, Selavraju Navindran, Edmund Ong
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: International Society of Global Health 2024-12-01
Series:Journal of Global Health Economics and Policy
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.52872/001c.126565
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author Jing Wen Wong
Jun Hui Tan
Selavraju Navindran
Edmund Ong
author_facet Jing Wen Wong
Jun Hui Tan
Selavraju Navindran
Edmund Ong
author_sort Jing Wen Wong
collection DOAJ
description # Background Hyponatraemia is a common electrolyte abnormality seen in medical admissions. To date, there is no hospital-wide local study on hyponatraemia across the young, middle and older age groups. We evaluated the clinical features, aetiology, and outcomes of patients admitted in a tertiary hospital when hyponatraemia was noted as part of initial investigations. We also reviewed the documented management, aiming to promote local guideline development for hyponatraemia. # Methods A retrospective study based in Hospital Sultan Ismail (HSI) Johor Bahru was undertaken between January 2020 to December 2022 on adults admitted with a serum sodium (Na) level of \<135mmol/L. Patients were identified through the electronic database. # Results 165 patients (mean age 64.4 ± 12.9, 52.6% females, 42.4% males) were diagnosed with mostly moderate or severe hyponatraemia. Severe hyponatraemia was significantly more prevalent among elderly patients (p= 0.002). Loss of appetite, generalised weakness and vomiting were the common presentations. 27.9% of patients were identified based on laboratory results without symptoms of hyponatraemia. The main causes of hyponatraemia were poor oral intake (20.6%), multifactorial (18.8%) and diarrhoea and vomiting (14.5%). Majority received 0.9% sodium chloride (NaCl) infusion. 18 patients (10.9%) have ≥10 mmol/L Na increment over the first day without complication. The overall mortality rate was 4.85% over 3 years. # Conclusions Hyponatraemia may present with non-specific symptoms in hospitalised patients. Early recognition and management are required to avoid complications. Larger prospective studies to further explore the clinical profile of hyponatraemia among local patients will aid in protocol development to optimise patient outcome.
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spelling doaj-art-ef326c5ef87c40a9a58c0a281bc928472025-08-20T02:39:26ZengInternational Society of Global HealthJournal of Global Health Economics and Policy2806-60732024-12-01410.52872/001c.126565Symptoms, causes, management and outcomes of hyponatraemia: a single centre study among hospitalised adult patients in MalaysiaJing Wen WongJun Hui TanSelavraju NavindranEdmund Ong# Background Hyponatraemia is a common electrolyte abnormality seen in medical admissions. To date, there is no hospital-wide local study on hyponatraemia across the young, middle and older age groups. We evaluated the clinical features, aetiology, and outcomes of patients admitted in a tertiary hospital when hyponatraemia was noted as part of initial investigations. We also reviewed the documented management, aiming to promote local guideline development for hyponatraemia. # Methods A retrospective study based in Hospital Sultan Ismail (HSI) Johor Bahru was undertaken between January 2020 to December 2022 on adults admitted with a serum sodium (Na) level of \<135mmol/L. Patients were identified through the electronic database. # Results 165 patients (mean age 64.4 ± 12.9, 52.6% females, 42.4% males) were diagnosed with mostly moderate or severe hyponatraemia. Severe hyponatraemia was significantly more prevalent among elderly patients (p= 0.002). Loss of appetite, generalised weakness and vomiting were the common presentations. 27.9% of patients were identified based on laboratory results without symptoms of hyponatraemia. The main causes of hyponatraemia were poor oral intake (20.6%), multifactorial (18.8%) and diarrhoea and vomiting (14.5%). Majority received 0.9% sodium chloride (NaCl) infusion. 18 patients (10.9%) have ≥10 mmol/L Na increment over the first day without complication. The overall mortality rate was 4.85% over 3 years. # Conclusions Hyponatraemia may present with non-specific symptoms in hospitalised patients. Early recognition and management are required to avoid complications. Larger prospective studies to further explore the clinical profile of hyponatraemia among local patients will aid in protocol development to optimise patient outcome.https://doi.org/10.52872/001c.126565
spellingShingle Jing Wen Wong
Jun Hui Tan
Selavraju Navindran
Edmund Ong
Symptoms, causes, management and outcomes of hyponatraemia: a single centre study among hospitalised adult patients in Malaysia
Journal of Global Health Economics and Policy
title Symptoms, causes, management and outcomes of hyponatraemia: a single centre study among hospitalised adult patients in Malaysia
title_full Symptoms, causes, management and outcomes of hyponatraemia: a single centre study among hospitalised adult patients in Malaysia
title_fullStr Symptoms, causes, management and outcomes of hyponatraemia: a single centre study among hospitalised adult patients in Malaysia
title_full_unstemmed Symptoms, causes, management and outcomes of hyponatraemia: a single centre study among hospitalised adult patients in Malaysia
title_short Symptoms, causes, management and outcomes of hyponatraemia: a single centre study among hospitalised adult patients in Malaysia
title_sort symptoms causes management and outcomes of hyponatraemia a single centre study among hospitalised adult patients in malaysia
url https://doi.org/10.52872/001c.126565
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