2012, Volume 5, Issue 2, pp 176 – 178

Hyponatremia – predictor of adverse prognosis in cirrhosis

SCImago Journal & Country Rank

Issues

Special Issues

Authors and Affiliations

Correspondence to:Andreea Bengus, MD University Emergency Hospital Bucharest, 169 Splaiul Independentei, Bucharest Phone: +40 744 497 626; E-mail: andreeabengus@yahoo.com

Abstract

Hyponatremia is a frequent complication of the advanced liver disease, being, as the hepatorenal syndrome, a consequence of the important circulatory dysfunction of cirrhosis. Hyponatremia is determined by the impaired capacity of the kidney to excrete free water, which leads to water retention disproportionate to sodium retention, thus causing low plasma osmolarity. Hyponatremia in cirrhosis is associated with a high morbidity and mortality, its presence suggesting a very advanced liver disease. Current evidence suggests that hyponatremia affects the brain function and predisposes to hepatic encephalopathy. In addition, hyponatremia is a risk factor for liver transplantation, being associated with a high frequency of complication and affecting short and long-term post-transplant survival.

Keywords

About this article

PMC ID: 3391887
PubMed ID: 22802886
DOI: 

Article Publishing Date (print): 12-06-2012
Available Online: 18-06-2012

Journal information

ISSN Printing: 1844-122X
ISSN Online: 1844-3117
Journal Title: Journal of Medicine and Life

Copyright License: Open Access

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.


SCImago Journal & Country Rank

Issues

Special Issues