Hypernatremia induces hyperlipemia and a fatty liver.

Hypernatremic states, often the result of hypothalamic osmoreceptor dysfunction in humans, are sometimes accompanied by hyperlipemia. To investigate whether hypernatremia could cause hyperlipemia we induced hypernatremia in three groups of rats with their respective controls: Group A rats received hypertonic saline alone intragastrically; group B animals were pair-fed and tap water was substituted for hypertonic saline in the treated group; in group C the rats were again fed intragastrically with a liquid diet mixed with hypertonic saline. Rats receiving excess salt had mean serum Na+ concentrations exceeding 159 mmoles/l. While the serum triglyceride values were significantly higher in all hypernatremic rats, hepatic triglyceride content was greater only in group C rats (p less than .01). Serum free fatty acids and ketone bodies were also higher in group C rats (p less than .01) as compared to controls. These data suggest that hypernatremia by itself leads to hyperlipemia and a fatty liver.