Risk factors and mortality in elderly patients with severe hyponatremia admitted to the emergency department.

BACKGROUND

This study was aimed at determining the risk factors associated with mortality in elderly patients with severe hyponatremia admitted to the emergency department.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The data of patients aged ≥ 65 years who were admitted to the emergency department and whose serum sodium levels were < 125 mEq/L were retrospectively collected.

RESULTS

Mortality was associated with chronic liver disease/cirrhosis (p = 0.036), metastatic tumor (p = 0.007) and solid tumor (p = 0.013) cancers, antiarrhythmic drug use (p = 0.003), potassium-sparing diuretic use (p = 0.044), antineoplastic drug use (p = 0.0029), and dialysis treatment (p = 0.015). The following cutoff values were determined to be predictive of mortality: urea > 63.6 (AUC: 0.771; p = 0.0001), creatinine > 1.39 (AUC: 0.675; p = 0.0003), potassium > 4.64 (AUC: 0.711; p = 0.0001), C-reactive protein > 44 (AUC: 0.765; p = 0.0001), white blood cell count > 12.21 (AUC: 0.688; p = 0.0001), hemoglobin < 11.2 (AUC: 0.611; p = 0.0103), and Charlson comorbidity index > 2 (AUC: 0.739; p = 0.0001). The use of antineoplastic drugs (OR: 4.502; p = 0.010) and increased values of the following were associated with an increased risk of mortality: urea (OR: 1.007; p = 0.024), C-reactive protein (OR: 1.005; p = 0.026), glucose (OR: 1.008; p = 0.001), and Charlson comorbidity index (OR: 1.198; p = 0.025).

CONCLUSION

Malignancy; liver cirrhosis; dialysis treatment; increased Charlson comorbidity index, urea, and C-reactive protein values and the use of antineoplastic drugs are associated with mortality.