Analysis of Hyponatremia in Patients with Ruptured Intracranial Aneurysms

Kim, Hoon Soo; Cho, Byung Moon; Lee, Ho Kook; Park, Se Hyuck; Hwang, Do Yun; Oh, Sae Moon

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
Hyponatremia (Na<135 mEq/L) is associated with cerebral ischemia after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and the incidence was reported as 9-34% of treated cases of SAH. This study was undertaken to clarify the clinical factors of hyponatremia in ruptured intracranial aneurysms.
METHODS
Total 170 consecutive patients with ruptured intracranial aneurysms were included in this study and the incidence and timing of hyponatremia were analyzed retrospectively. Clinical severity quantified by the Hunt and Hess grade and Fisher's grade at admission, location of ruptured aneurysm, presence of vasospasm, onset of hyponatremia, development of hydrocephalus and Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) were analyzed in patients with hyponatremia.
RESULTS
Hyponatremia occurred in 32 (40.5%) of 79 patients with anterior cerebral artery (ACA) aneurysm group, in 18 (40.0%) of 45 patients with internal cerebral artery (ICA) aneurysm group and in nine (22.5%) of 40 patients with middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysm group. Hyponatremia occurred significantly more often in cases with vasospasm and hyrocephalus (p<0.05). Among vasospasm cases, hyponatremia was not associated with the location of aneurysm or hydrocepalus. Respective days of onset for symptomatic vasospasm and for hyponatremia were day 7.2+/-3.3 and day 9.9+/-5.5 following SAH (p<0.05).
CONCLUSION
Hyponatremia occurred more frequently in patients with vasospasm and hydrocephalus. The onset of hyponatremia was delayed by 3 days following symptomatic vasospasm. Since careful observation for hyponatremia is required during therapy in patients with vasospasm.