Refeeding syndrome and hypophosphatemia.
Hypophosphatemia is a potentially life-threatening complication of reinstating nutrition in a malnourished patient. Refeeding syndrome is a term that refers to various metabolic abnormalities that may complicate carbohydrate administration in subnourished patient populations. Hypophosphatemia is the most well-known, and perhaps most significant, element of the refeeding syndrome and may result in sudden death, rhabdomyolysis, red cell dysfunction, and respiratory insufficiency. This review briefly examines refeeding-induced hypophosphatemia in the hospitalized patient in hopes of making clinicians more aware of this common, but often overlooked, potentially dangerous problem.
Marinella
Mark A
MA
Wright State University School of Medicine, Dayton, OH, USA. Mmarinella@pol.net
D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002149:Energy Intake; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000209:etiology; D017674:Hypophosphatemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000178:diet therapy*; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012307:Risk Factors; D013577:Syndrome; D014883:Water-Electrolyte Imbalance / Q000209:etiology
D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D010758:Phosphorus