Case #2

1. Calculate the serum osmolality in this patient? 


(2 x 127 mm/L) + 105 + 35 = 272.3 mosm/kg
                              18     2.8

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. What is the cause of hyponatremia in this patient?


Water overload in excess of sodium overload.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Based on what criteria was this diagnosis made? 


Clinical exam and urine and serum osmolality and sodium concentration.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. What is the total body sodium in this patient? 


Increased- this patient is sodium and water overloaded with a greater increase in water as compared to sodium.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. What are the physiologic conditions which stimulate ADH secretion? 


Increased osmolality and decreased volume. ADH secretion is much more sensitive to changes in serum osmolality requiring ~1-2% increase whereas volume stimulation will require a decrease of 5-10%. However, once effective volume depletion does occur it will override a decrease in serum osmolality as a stimulus to inhibit its release.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. What is the clinical condition responsible for ADH secretion in this patient ? 


The decrease in effective circulating arterial volume due to this patient’s liver disease.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7. If furosemide is administered to this patient how will it change the urinary composition?


 It will disproportionately increase water excretion as compared to sodium.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8. What are the major categories of hyponatremia and their pathogenesis?

 


Conditions associated with a decrease in total body sodium, normal sodium and excess sodium.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Integrative Questions

9. What accounts for the differences in total body sodium in these two cases? 


In the first case the patient maintains normal sodium handling by the kidney but retains excess water. In the second case the patient is both sodium and water avid due to the decrease in effective circulating arterial volume.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10. Why are there differences in the urinary sodium between the two cases? 
In the case of SIADH the kidney senses that it is in a euvolemic environment and therefore the excretion of sodium reflects intake. On the otherhand, in the case of the cirrhoticpatient the kidney is hypoperfused and therefore retains sodium in addition to water in an attempt to normalize perfusion.