title: Fludrocortisone treatment in a child with severe cerebral salt wasting.
abstract: Hyponatremia is a common complication of intracranial disease or surgery. An evaluation should be undertaken to determine whether cerebral salt wasting (CSW) or inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone is present as a cause. Since the treatment principles are completely different in the two pathological states, differential diagnosis is very important. CSW is defined as the renal loss of sodium leading to hyponatremia and decreased extracellular fluid volume. In the literature, it has been noted that mineralocorticoid administration can be useful in CSW cases. We herein present an 11-year-old boy who developed hyponatremic seizures after intracranial tumor resection. He was diagnosed with CSW on the basis of high urinary sodium excretion and increased urine output, together with signs and symptoms of dehydration. Despite intensive fluid and salt therapy, we were unable to decrease the urinary output. Therefore, fludrocortisone therapy was administered and his urinary output and sodium excretion were decreased and his serum sodium level was normalized. In conclusion, in addition to fluid and salt replacement, mineralocorticoid supplementation also seems to be a safe and effective treatment for CSW.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Endocrinology Unit, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ihsan Dogramaci Children's Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. stulgar@gen.hun.edu.tr
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Kinik
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kandemir
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baykan
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Akalan
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yordam
mesh_terms: D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000601:surgery*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D003894:Deamino Arginine Vasopressin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005438:Fludrocortisone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007010:Hyponatremia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D009318:Natriuresis / Q000187:drug effects; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D003894:Deamino Arginine Vasopressin; D005438:Fludrocortisone