Incidence, Severity and Prognosis Associated with Hyponatremia in Dogs and Cats. (13th May 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ueda, Y.; Hopper, K.; Epstein, S.E.
• Is Part Of: Journal of veterinary internal medicine. Volume 29:Number 3(2015:May/Jun.)
• Page Start: 801
• Page End: 807
• Publication Date: 2015-05-13
• Subjects: Veterinary medicine -- Periodicals; 636.0896
• DOI: 10.1111/jvim.12581
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0891-6640

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="jvim12581-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="jvim12581-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Background</title> <p>Hyponatremia is a common electrolyte abnormality in human patients and is associated with substantial morbidity and death. The incidence and importance of hyponatremia in dogs and cats has not been determined.</p> </sec> <sec id="jvim12581-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Hypothesis/Objectives</title> <p>To describe the incidence of and prognosis associated with hyponatremia in dogs and cats at a university teaching hospital.</p> </sec> <sec id="jvim12581-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Animals</title> <p>Of 16, 691 dogs and 4, 211 cats with measured blood or serum sodium concentration.</p> </sec> <sec id="jvim12581-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p> <italic>Retrospective study</italic>. Medical records of animals with a blood or serum sodium concentration measured during a 60‐month period were reviewed to determine the severity of hyponatremia and its associated fatality rate. Cases with moderate (11–15 mmol/L below the reference range) or severe hyponatremia (≥16 mmol/L below the reference range) were further reviewed.</p> </sec> <sec id="jvim12581-sec-0005" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Of 4, 254 dogs (25.5%) and 2, 081 cats (49.4%) were diagnosed with hyponatremia. Case fatality rates of dogs and cats with hyponatremia were 13.7% and 11.9%, respectively, compared to 4.4% and 4.5% with a normal blood or serum sodium concentration (<italic>P</italic> < 0.0001). The magnitude of hyponatremia was linearly associated with a higher case fatality rate (<italic>P</italic> < 0.0001). Hyponatremia was associated with a lower case fatality rate than hypernatremia in the same population. Among the animals with moderate or severe hyponatremia, 92.1% of dogs and 90.6% of cats presented with community‐acquired hyponatremia, and 7.9% of dogs and 9.4% of cats developed hospital‐acquired hyponatremia.</p> </sec> <sec id="jvim12581-sec-0006" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions and clinical importance</title> <p>Hyponatremia was found commonly in this population and was associated with increased case fatality rate. Presence and severity of hyponatremia might be useful as a prognostic indicator.</p> </sec> </abstract>