Hypodipsic-hypernatremia syndrome in an adult with polycythemia : a case report
Date
2018-12-27
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
BMC (part of Springer Nature)
Abstract
Background: Hypernatremia is a very common electrolyte disorder and is frequently encountered in out-patient as
well as in-hospital settings. We describe an adult who was found to have unexplained relative polycythemia and
episodic hypernatremia. A diagnosis of idiopathic hypodipsic-hypernatremia syndrome was made and the patient
was managed with a water-drinking schedule.
Case presentation: A 24-year-old South African-Indian man was found to have polycythemia in association with
episodes of hypernatremia. Investigations indicated that he had relative polycythemia. He experienced no thirst at a
time when his serum sodium concentration was found to be 151 mmol/L. Further testing indicated that his renal
response to arginine vasopressin was intact and magnetic resonance imaging of his brain revealed no
hypothalamic lesions. A diagnosis of idiopathic hypodipsic-hypernatremia syndrome was made and he was
managed with a water-drinking schedule that corrected his hypernatremia.
Conclusion: Hypodipsia should always be considered when a patient without physical or cognitive disability
presents with unexplained episodic hypernatremia or with relative polycythemia.
Description
CITATION: Chothia, M. Y., et al. 2019. Hypodipsic-hypernatremia syndrome in an adult with polycythemia : a case report. Journal of Medical Case Reports, 12:381, doi:10.1186/s13256-018-1938-y.
The original publication is available at https://jmedicalcasereports.biomedcentral.com
The original publication is available at https://jmedicalcasereports.biomedcentral.com
Keywords
Hypernatremia, Electrolyte disorder, Polycythemia
Citation
Chothia, M. Y., et al. 2019. Hypodipsic-hypernatremia syndrome in an adult with polycythemia : a case report. Journal of Medical Case Reports, 12:381, doi:10.1186/s13256-018-1938-y