Sodium disturbances are frequent and serious complications in neurocritically ill patients. Hyponatremia is more common than hypernatremia, which is, however, prognostically worse.
The aim of this study was to analyse outcome and frequency of sodium disturbances in relation to measured serum osmolality in neurologic-neurosurgical critically ill patients. A 5-year retrospective collection of patients (pts) and laboratory data were made from the Laboratory Information System database in the Clinical Biochemistry Department.
The criteria for patients' inclusion was acute brain disease and serum sodium (SNa+) 150 mmol/l (hypernatremia). Hypoosmolality was defined as measured serum osmolality (SOsm) 295 mmol/kg.