The effect of treatments administered to hospitalized patients before development of Hospital Related Hyponatremia

Abstract

Objective: Hospital-related hyponatremia has a significant mortality, and it is widely seen among hospitalized patients. The aim of the present study was to identify the treatments of patients before developing hyponatremia and the relationship between these treatments and severity of hyponatremia, length of hospital stay, and mortality rate. Methods:The present study was conducted retrospectively on 133 patients who developed hyponatremia during their hospitalization for any reason in our hospital between 2012 and 2013. Demographic features of the patients, sodium values after hyponatremia, treatments applied to the patients before developing hyponatremia, length of hospital stay, and mortality rates were analyzed.Results: Diuretics composed the largest part (46.6%) of medical treatments related to hyponatremia before the development of hyponatremia. When any of the treatments that may cause hyponatremia (hypotonic fluids, mannitol, diuretics, other drugs, and surgery) was administered in addition to the current treatment, each factor appeared to prolong the length of hospital stay by 8.1±1.853 days. Conclusion:Although a significant relationship between treatments and mortality rates or hyponatremia severity could not be identified, prolongation in the length of hospital stay was crucial for avoiding complications of hospitalization and also for decreasing the costs of healthcare. This research may also serve as a guide for further prospective case-controlled studies.