Osmotic demyelination syndrome following slow correction of hyponatremia: Possible role of hypokalemia
Mohammed Ashraf, Parvaiz A. Koul, Rafi A. Jan, Abdul Baseer Qadri, Burhan Wani, Feroze Ahmad, Sajjad R. Bazaz
Keywords :
Electrolyte disturbances, hypokalemia, hyponatremia, locked-in state
Citation Information :
Ashraf M, Koul PA, Jan RA, Qadri AB, Wani B, Ahmad F, Bazaz SR. Osmotic demyelination syndrome following slow correction of hyponatremia: Possible role of hypokalemia. Indian J Crit Care Med 2013; 17 (4):231-233.
A 47-year-old male presented with hyponatremia that was corrected slowly as per the recommended guidelines. The patient improved initially but went on to develop a quadriparesis with a locked-in state due to a central as well as extrapontine myelinolysis and subsequently succumbed to an intercurrent infective illness. The patient had associated hypokalemia. Hyponatremia can result in central pontine myelinolysis even when the electrolyte disorder is treated slowly, and the concomitant hypokalemia seems to play a contributory role in the pathogenesis of the neurological disorder.
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