Authors: Laura Kraayvanger Jan Latza Christel Vockelmann Peter Berlit Ralph Weber
Publish Date: 2014/05/25
Volume: 261, Issue: 7, Pages: 1436-1438
Abstract
Hyponatremia is the most frequently electrolyte disturbance in neurocritical care patients and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality 1 Acute severe hyponatremia typically results in confusion seizures muscle cramps weakness coma and finally respiratory arrest due to brain swelling 2 It is well known that excessively rapid correction of hyponatremia can cause severe neurologic deficits as a result of pontine or extrapontine myelinolysis We report the clinical course and magnetic resonance imaging MRI of a young polytrauma patient with acute onset of hemiparesis and aphasia Bilateral subcortical diffusionweighted MRI changes were found to be caused by acute severe hyponatremia due to SIADH Clinical symptoms and MRI changes rapidly resolved after treatment with the vasopressinreceptor antagonist tolvaptan
Keywords: