Prognostic significance of hospitalized intensive care patients with hyponatremia and hypernatremia

Body water is indispensible for life that includes all nutrients dissolved and transport by, besides all metabolic reactions keep going in body fluid. Body water is divided into two compartments as extracellular and intracellular, which are separated by cell membranes. The extracellular fluid?s function is to transport nutrients, electrolytes and wastes. Sodium is the predominant extracellular cation and is also one of the major cations involved in intravascular volume and osmotic pressure regulation.Normal sodium concentration in extracellular fluid is 135-145 mEq/lt. Excess free water loss, inadequate water intake, excess sodium and decreased renal excretion cause hypernatremia in ICU. Free water excess and sodium deficit cause hyponatremia in ICU patients. Mental status changes, abnormal water request, headache, anxiety, peripheral edema, myoclonus, cardiovascular decompensation and coma may present in patients with hyper ? hyponatremia.SOFA and APACHE II scores are used for estimating the morbidity and mortality in ICU.In this study, we studied all patients treated in Intensive Care Unit at Celal Bayar University from January 2008 to September 2010. We aimed to compare APACHE II, SOFA scores and hypo-hypernatremia, and to determine the relation between the incidence of hyper ? hyponatremia and mortality.Totally, 201 patients? files were analyzed retrospectively; APACHE II and SOFA scores were calculated daily, and compared with their Na values concurrently. Relations between hyponatremia and hypernatremia episodes were also investigated.Statistically significant relation between hypernatremia episodes and mortality was found, nevermore, similar interference was not seen between mortality and hyponatremia.The patients SOFA and APACHE II scores were found to be in close correlation with hyponatremia and hypernatremia.In conclusion, hyponatremia and hypernatremia may have an important contribution in estimation of prognosis of ICU patients.