Survival in a Patient with Severe Paraneoplastic Hyponatremia
Author Information
Author(s): Walker Gary V, Peterson Michael C
Primary Institution: BCM-Michael Debakey Center, Baylor College of Medicine
Hypothesis
Can severe paraneoplastic hyponatremia be successfully treated?
Conclusion
Even severe cases of paraneoplastic hyponatremia may be successfully treated.
Supporting Evidence
- The patient had a serum sodium level of 100 mEq/L, which is extremely low.
- Saline infusion and furosemide were used to correct the sodium levels.
- The patient's neurological symptoms resolved as sodium levels improved.
Takeaway
This study shows that a patient with very low sodium levels due to cancer can be treated successfully, even though she later died from her cancer.
Methodology
The patient was treated with saline infusion and intravenous furosemide, with monitoring of sodium levels.
Limitations
The patient ultimately died from complications related to her cancer, which may limit the generalizability of the treatment success.
Participant Demographics
54-year-old white female with a history of smoking and narcotic dependency.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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