EPISODES OF HYPERNATREMIC DEHYDRATION IN CHILDREN WITH ACUTE DIARRHEA

Hypernatremic Dehydration

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Objective

To determine the episodes of hypernatremia in children having acute diarrhea with dehydration. 

Study Design Descriptive, cross-sectional.

Place and duration Paeds Dpt CMH MTN, from March 2019 to Sep 2019

Material and Methods

Total 175 children with acute diarrhea were taken in this study. Blood sample was taken within 24 hr of hospitalization and sent for serum sodium levels to see hypernatremia.

Results

Of these 175 children having acute diarrhea, 107 (61.1 %) were male patients while 68 (38.9 %) were female patients. Mean age of our study cases was 35.62 ± 13.46 months (ranging from 6 months to 60. Source of drinking water was hand pumps in 81 (46.3%) and filtered water was being consumed by 94 (53.7%). Mean duration of disease (diarrhea) in these study cases was 4.92 ± 1.17 days. Mean serum sodium level was noted to be 138.24 ± 4.26 mmol/L and hypernatremia was noted to be in 33 (18.9%) of our study cases.

Conclusion

Hypernatremia is a common presentation of childhood diarrheal diseases. Frequency of hypernatremia was high in children with acute diarrhea in our study. Hypernatremia was having significant association with age, literacy of mother, residential status, monthly family income and source of drinking water. Hypernatremia leads to significant rise of disease morbidities and hospitalization in children with acute diarrhea. All the pediatricians who treat such children should monitor these patients for such electrolyte derangements to avoid associated complications.