title: Reset osmostat and salt and water retention in the course of severe hyponatremia.
abstract: To evaluate whether a reset osmostat and salt and water retention may be features of the course of some patients with hyponatremia, we present the long-term course of 6 selected patients. Three patients had spinal cord injury, 3 had marked psychiatric problems, and 3 had alcoholism. Five developed severe hyponatremia superimposed on chronic hyponatremia consequent to a reset osmostat. In 5 patients marked salt and water retention of unclear etiology occurred during therapy on 11 occasions. In 4 of these 11 episodes hypernatremia developed. Knowledge of a patient's past history and the possibility of developing salt and water overload should influence therapy.
authors.affiliation: Renal Section, Bronx Veterans Administration Medical Center, New York, USA. kahn.thomas@bronx.va.gov
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kahn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001834:Body Water / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007010:Hyponatremia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012964:Sodium / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D014882:Water-Electrolyte Balance / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D012964:Sodium