title: [Life-threatening hyponatremia provoked by alternative treatment. An occurrence in a patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia with no indication for treatment].
abstract: Alternative medicine is a heterogeneous group of treatments which has become increasingly popular in cancer patients in the Western world in recent years. We describe a 77-year-old female with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, who developed severe hyponatremia during treatment with alternative medicine given by a general practitioner over a 3-year-period. From a hematological point of view, there was no need for this expensive treatment as the disease was stable with a normal hemoglobin and thrombocyte count and no B-symptoms. The case illustrates a need for better control of the alternative practitioners and for the adverse reactions to their treatments by the National Health Service.
authors.affiliation: Nordsjaellands Hospital i Hillerød, Medicinsk Enhed 1. altafdk@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Abdol Rahim
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Altaf
authors.forename: Per Boye
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Hansen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D020441:Ginkgo biloba / Q000009:adverse effects; D006705:Homeopathy; D006801:Humans; D007010:Hyponatremia / Q000139:chemically induced*; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D041942:Soy Milk / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014815:Vitamins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D028321:Plant Preparations; D014815:Vitamins