title: Acid-base and electrolyte abnormalities in alcoholic patients.
abstract: This study was undertaken to analyze the acid-base and electrolyte abnormalities and the pathogenetic mechanisms involved in alcoholic patients admitted to our department for causes related to alcohol abuse. We studied 79 alcoholic patients aged 31-78 years. None had any other disease or was receiving drugs influencing acid-base balance and electrolyte parameters. On their admission and before any therapeutic intervention laboratory investigation of the acid-base status and electrolyte parameters in both sera and urine was carried out. Thirty-two patients (40.5%) had acid-base disturbances. Ten patients (12.6%) had pure respiratory alkalosis, 2 patients (2.5%) pure metabolic alkalosis, while 20 patients (25.3%) had the so-called syndrome of alcoholic ketoacidosis. Forty-one patients (52%) had electrolyte abnormalities. Eighteen patients (22.8%) had hyponatremia. However, 5 patients had pseudohyponatremia due to alcohol-induced hypertriglyceridemia. Two patients (2.5%) with increased insensible losses had hypernatremia. Hypokalemia was found in 10 patients (12.6%), hypomagnesemia in 25 patients (31.6%), hypophosphatemia in 23 patients (29.1%), hyperphosphatemia in 2 patients (2.5%), and hypocalcemia in 17 patients (21.5%). However, only 7 patients had true hypocalcemia. In conclusion, alcoholic patients develop a series of acid-base and electrolyte disturbances owing to various pathogenetic mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Greece.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Elisaf
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Merkouropoulos
authors.forename: E V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Tsianos
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Siamopoulos
mesh_terms: D000137:Acid-Base Imbalance / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000652:urine; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008659:Metabolic Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D004573:Electrolytes