title: Seasonal plasma electrolyte fluctuations in childhood diarrhoea.
abstract: A retrospective analysis of routinely collected data from a diarrhoea rehydration unit found clinically meaningful parallel seasonal variation in plasma sodium and potassium concentrations. The prevalence of severe hypokalaemia was 7.2% and 0.4% in February and August respectively, and of severe hypernatraemia 0.4% and 5.0% respectively. These unexpected findings need prospective confirmation and exploration in other settings.
authors.affiliation: School of Child and Adolescent Health, University of Cape Town, South Africa. swingler@ich.uct.ac.za
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Swingler
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Power
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000097:blood* / Q000628:therapy; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000097:blood*; D005440:Fluid Therapy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D006955:Hypernatremia / Q000209:etiology; D007008:Hypokalemia / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012621:Seasons
chemical_list: D004573:Electrolytes