title: Hyponatremia effect in patients with alcohol dependence on their physical and mental health status.
abstract: Hyponatremia, i.e. reduction of sodium level in the blood plasma below 135 mmol/L, is one of the most common electrolyte disorders occurring in people addicted to alcohol. Numerous psychopathological symptoms may be significantly associated with its occurrence. Since sodium is one of the main bioelements, which is responsible for proper neuromuscular excitability maintenance and contributes in nerve impulses conduction, sodium balance disorders may be related to a risk to basic life functions. The tested group included 100 alcohol dependent patients (M = 90, F = 10). Sodium was determined using biochemical Indiko Plus analyzer. Analysis of sodium concentration demonstrated that 64% of people with alcohol dependence had low (<135 mmol/L) plasma sodium level, of which: 7% had severe hyponatremia (<120 mmol/L), 13% had moderate hyponatremia (120-130 mmol/L) and 44% had mild hyponatremia (130-135 mmol/L). The analysis showed an occurrence of significant differences in terms of: impulsivity, quality of life, clinical symptoms occurrence, maximum amount of alcohol consumed and general health state. The lower concentration of sodium in blood plasma in alcohol dependent people, the worse psychical and psychological quality of their life.
authors.affiliation: Chair and Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland; Department of Pharmacodynamics, Centre for Preclinical Research and Technology (CePT), Medical University of Warsaw, Poland. Electronic address: mordak@wum.edu.pl.
authors.forename: Ordak
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Michal
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Basic Aspects of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, Poland; Faculty of Chemistry, Biological and Chemical Research Centre, University of Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Maj-Zurawska
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Magdalena
authors.affiliation: Chair and Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Matsumoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Halina
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacodynamics, Centre for Preclinical Research and Technology (CePT), Medical University of Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Bujalska-Zadrozny
authors.initials: BZ
authors.lastname: Magdalena
authors.affiliation: Chair and Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Nasierowski
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tadeusz
authors.affiliation: Department of General Biology, Medical University of Białystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Muszynska
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Elzbieta
authors.affiliation: Chair and Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Wojnar
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Marcin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007010:Hyponatremia / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers / Q000379:methods; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult