Sunday, January 4, 2009

Sunday January 4, 2009


Q: Hyponatremia should be corrected slowly and extreme caution should be taken. Rapid correction of Na may lead to central pontine myelinolysis (CPM) characterized by focal demyelination in the pons and extrapontine areas associated with serious neurologic sequelae. Which four subgroups of patients are more prone to develop CPM and at higher risk?

Answer: Patients with

  • hypokalemia,
  • female gender,
  • history of alcoholism and
  • liver transplant

Reference: click to get abstract

Murase T, Sugimura Y, Takefuji S, et al. Mechanisms and therapy of osmotic demyelination. Am J Med. Jul 2006;119(7 Suppl 1):S69-73