Acute symptomatic hyponatremia due to water intoxication complicated by an inappropriate secretion of ADH. Description of one case

Abstract

Hyponatremia is a frequent electrolitic disorder in hospitalized children. The commonest causes are inappropriate secretion of ADH, water intoxication and gastrointestinal sodium losses. In most cases serum sodium decreases are mild and will neither show clinical manifestations nor require specific treatment. However, when semm sodium levels are below 120 mEq/L, as in our case, clinical manifestations are patent, mainly the neurological ones (headache, lethargy, conwlsions, coma) due to cerebral edema.