Digoxin-like immunoreactive substance in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage. Issue 6574 (21st March 1987)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wijdicks, E F; Vermeulen, M; van Brummelen, P; den Boer, N C; van Gijn, J
• Is Part Of: BMJ. Volume 294:Issue 6574(1987)
• Page Start: 729
• Page End: 732
• Publication Date: 1987-03-21
• Subjects: Medicine -- Periodicals; Medicine -- Periodicals; Medicine; Periodicals; 610
• DOI: 10.1136/bmj.294.6574.729
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0007-1447

Abstract

Abstract : Digoxin was measured by radioimmunoassay in the plasma of 25 patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage who had not received digoxin treatment. After heating the plasma an endogenous substance cross reacting with antibodies to digoxin was identified in 18 cases. The presence of this substance was significantly related to the total amount of blood and to the presence of blood in the frontal interhemispheric fissure and could not be explained by hypertension or intake of water and sodium. A negative sodium balance and volume depletion occurred more often in patients who were positive for digoxin, but this relation did not reach statistical significance. It is concluded that a digoxin-like natriuretic factor is released in response to a subarachnoid haemorrhage, probably as a result of hypothalamic damage.