Hyponatraemia and hyperkalaemia in acute pyelonephritis without urinary tract anomalies.
Three children with severe hyponatraemia and hyperkalaemia associated with acute pyelonephritis are reported. All were very young male infants in a poor general condition and seriously dehydrated. Diagnostic procedures did not detect obstructive uropathy or vesico-ureteric reflux.


CONCLUSIONS
Hyponatraemia and hyperkalaemia occurs in young infants with severe acute pyelonephritis in the absence of obstructive uropathy or vesico-ureteric reflux. The severe inflammation of the kidney itself may explain the electrolyte disturbance by a transient resistance of the distal tubule to aldosterone.
Gerigk
M
M
Zentrum für Kinderheilkunde, Giessen, Germany.
Glanzmann
R
R
Rascher
W
W
Gnehm
H E
HE
D000208:Acute Disease; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007008:Hypokalemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D007010:Hyponatremia / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011704:Pyelonephritis / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014551:Urinary Tract / Q000002:abnormalities; D014718:Vesico-Ureteral Reflux / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications