title: Common finding of mild hyponatremia in children evaluated at the Emergency Department and its correlation with plasma C-reactive protein values.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In the context of infectious diseases, mild hyponatremia is supposed to be originated by a transient secretion of vasopressin mediated by non-osmotic stimuli. This study provides data supporting the view that mild hyponatremia during acute illnesses is related to a systemic inflammatory condition.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 328 consecutive children (aged 3 months to 17 years) underwent blood testing at the Pediatric Emergency Department over a 2-month period and were retrospectively analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hyponatremia was found in 98 patients, and in most of them it was a mild condition. A significant trend towards lower levels of plasmatic sodium, along with the increase of C-reactive protein, was observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A significant relationship between plasmatic sodium levels and C-reactive protein was found, apart from of the underlying disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Melegnano Hospital, Milan, Italy - dimimedpv@yahoo.it.
authors.forename: Dimitri
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Poddighe
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007010:Hyponatremia / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012964:Sodium / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D012964:Sodium