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Clinico-pathological conferenceedited by H.M. MoutsopouIos
Hyponatremia due to inappropriate secretion of antidiuretichormone in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus
M.S. Elisaf, H.J. Milionis, A.A. Drosos
Department of Internal Medicine, MedicalSchool, University of loannina, loannina,Greece.
Moses S. Elisaf, MD, FRSH, Associate
Professor of Medicine; Haralampos J.AJilionis, MD, House Officer; Ale:xandrosA. Drosos, MD, FACR, Associate Professor
of Medicine/Rheumatology.
Please address correspondence and reprint
requests to: Pro! Alemndros A. Drosos,
MD, FACR, Department of Internal
Medicine, Medical School, University ofloannina, GR 451 10 Ioannina, Greece.
Clin Exp Rhellmatol 1999; 17: 223-226.
© Copyright CLINICAL AND
EXPERIMENTAL RHEUMATOLOGY 1999.
Key words:hyponatremia, hypokalemia,syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretichormone, systemic lupus erythematosus.
Case presentation
(HJ. Milionis)A 70 year old man was admitted to ourhospital in November 1996 because offever, arthralgias, and myalgias. He hadbeen in very good health untillune 1996when he presented with photosensitivity, butterfly rash, and a maculo-papularrash affecting the anterior surface of thechest and forearms. Immunologic evaluation revealed positive antinuclear anti
bodies (ANA) at a titer of 1/320 with afine speckled pattern. The remainder ofthe immunologic and laboratory testswere negative or within normal limits.He was treated with hydroxychloroquine200 mg twice daily and methylprednisolone 8 mg daily. His past medical andfamily history were unremarkable.On admission, the patient's temperaturewas 38.5°C. There were discoid skin lesions over the forehead and the V area
of the chest. A butterfly rash was alsopresent. The physical examination wasotherwise negative. Chest x-ray revealedmild bilateral pleural effusions. The PPDwas negative. ANA were positive at atiter of 1/320 with a fine speckled pattern (indirect immunofluorescence) andon counter-immunelectfophoresis Ro(SSA) antibodies were present.Laboratory evaluation on the patient'sadmission revealed anemia, leukopeniaand a number of metabolic abnormali
ties (Table I). Specifically, the patientpresented hypoalbuminemia, metabolicalkalosis coexisting with respiratory alkalosis, hyponatremia with inappropriate natriuresis, hypokalemia with renalpotassium wasting, hypophosphatemia,and hypouricemia with renal urate wasting. Methylprednisolone was then stopped, while the administration of hydro xychloroquine was continued. Renal function revealed no abnormality. Twenty-
223
four bour urine protein excretion was 80mg. A thorough investigation for underlying infections was negative. No symptoms relating to hypotonicity were evident and there was no prior history ofcardiac, renal or hepatic failure. Posrn was261 mosmol/kg with a simultaneousurine osmolality (Uosrn) of380 mosmoV
kg. The results of liver and thyroid function tests were normal, while the morn
ing plasma cortisol concentration was0.48 !lmol/L (normal values 0.22 - 0.68!lmollL). Plasma renin activity (PRA)was 1.2 nglml/h (normal values 0.9 - 3.3nglml/h) and serum aldosterone levelswere 133 ngIL (normal values 10 - 160ngIL). All the hormonal determinationswere carried out two days following admission.
Serum sodium remained unchanged during a two-day administration of 2 Udaynormal saline, while at the same time the
fractional excretion of sodium (FENa+)was increased by 0.9% (from 0.54 to1.4%). However, a significant increasein serum sodium levels (from 126 to 134mmollL) was achieved by fluid restriction and a high potassium intake, whichnormalized the serum potassium levels.At the same time an increase in serumuric acid levels with a simultaneous decrease in the fractional excretion of urate
(FE urate) was observed (serum uric acidbecame 250 ~lmollL and FE urate 8%).A complete normalization of the serumsodium concentration (from 134 to 143mmollL) with a simultaneous increasein the electrolyte free water clearance(from 0.8 Llday to 1.2 Llday) was obtained following a 4-day course of intravenous albumin infusion (2 x 20 glday).Cerebrospinal fluid (CS F) examinationand electrophoresis, computed tomography (Cf), as well as magnetic resonanceimaging (MRI) of the central nervous
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CLlNICO-PATHOL CONFERENCE
Table I. Laboratory investigations carried outon the patient's admission.
Differential diagnosis(M.S. Elisaf)Our patient fulfilled the criteria of theAmerican College of Rheumatology forsystemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (1).
M.S. Elisaf cl al.
..'l~~
in hypothyroidism (4). However, in ou~jpatient both thyroid function tests and .~serum cortisol levels were normal. Tak- .~
ing into account that our patient had nor- ~mal renal function and was not given ~diuretics, a urine sodium level > 40 ":f.
mmoIIL was suggestive of the syndrome:!of inappropriate antidiuresis (5). This )'.diagnosis was reinforced by the absence;~of any clinical or laboratory indications :~of hypovolemia (i.e., postural hypotension, abnormal PRA, serum aldosteroneor serum albumin levels, abnormal ureal
creatinine ratio) which represents themost common cause of hyponatremia inevery day clinical practice.However, even though the assessment ofthe extracellular fluid volume is important in evaluating the cause and determining the best treatment for hyponatremic patients, the accuracy of the clinicolaboratory investigation of the extracellular fluid volume remains uncertain. Re
cently, Musch et al. have confirmed thata Iow fractional sodium excretion «
0.5%) combined with a Iow fractionalurea excretion « 55%) are the optimaltests to diagnose hypovolemic hyponatremia and to predict the saline response(6). In other words, the increased fractional sodium and urea excretion ob
served in our case (Table I) were compatible with the inappropriate secretionof antidiuretic hormone (SIADH).Additionally, the response of the serum
Additionally, he presented with hyponatremia. In such cases, the detection of
the underlying cause of the hyponatremiais of paramount importance for the evaluation and proper management of the patient. The diagnosis is based on the patient's history, a physical examinationwith emphasis on extracellular volumestatus, and on the correct interpretationof laboratory tests (Table 11).The first step must be to exclude pseudohyponatremia due to severe hyperIipidemia or hyperproteinemia or to hyperglycemia (2). In our case the effectiveserum osmolality (measured Posm minusurea/6) was decreased, while the serumglucose, total protein and triglycerideconcentrations were within normal lim
its; thus, a diagnosis of pseudohyponatremia could be excluded. Once it was
demonstrated that the patient was hypoosmolar, the Uosm was measured to determine whether his water excretion was
normal or impaired. Since the Uosmmarkedly exceeded 100 mosmol/kg, hyponatremia due to impaired water excretion was diagnosed (3).The next step in the differential diagnosis of hyponatremia is the determinationof urine sodium in a spot urine specimen, in addition to assessing adrenal andthyroid function (3). The latter is of particular importance in SLE patients. whocommonly exhibit other autoimmuneconditions, such as thyroiditis resulting
Table 11. Major steps in the initial evaluation of hyponatremia.
Plasma osmolality
Low: True hyponatremia
Normal or elevated: Pseudohyponatremia or renal failure
Urine osmolality
< 100 mosmol/kg: primary polydipsia or reset osmostat
> 100 mosmol/kg: true hyponatremia in which wata excretion is impaired
Urine sodium concentration'
Less than 25 mmoIlL: effective circulating volume depletion (including heart failure and ascites)
Greater than 40 mmollL: Syndrome of inappropriate anti diuresis (SIADH)Renal failure
Diuretics (when drug still acting)
Adrenal insuftlciency
Cerebral salt wasting
Thyroid function tests and serum cortisol levels to diagnose hypothyroidism or adrenal insuftlciency
• In patients in whom the findings are equivocal the determination of both FENa+ and FE urea. as wellas the response of serum sodium levels to the administration of sodium chloride may be helpful.
7.52
28.5
47
0.48
30
7.9
7
14.8
70
Values
32
2 x 109
120 x 109
48
7
236
4.4
7.8
80
126
3.1
1.8
0.8
101
0.75
24
55
1.8
23
Parameters
Hematocrit (%)
White blood cells (IL)
Platelet count (IL)
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (mmJh)
Anion gap (mmoVL)
Serum uric acid (I4moVL)
Serum glucose (mmoVL)
Serum urea (mmoVL)
Serum creatinine (l4ffioVL)
Serum sodium (mmoVL)
Serum potasium (mmoVL)
Serum calcium (mmoVL)
Serum phosphate (mmoVL)
Serum chloride (mmoVL)
Serum magnesium (mmollL)
Serum albumin (gIL)
Serum to~al protein (gIL)
Serum triglycerides (mmoUL)
Serum bicarbonate (mmoIJL)
Arterial pH
Arterial PC02 (mmHg)
Urine sodium (mmoVL)
Fractional excretion of sodium (%)*
Urine potassium (mmol/L)
Fractional excretion of potassium (%)*
Transtubular potassium gradient (TTKG)
Fractional excretion of urat~ (%)*
Fractional excretion of urea (l"'c)*
Standard formulae were used to determine the frac
tional excretion of electrolytes.
The transtubular potassium gradient was calculatedas follows: TTKG = Urine F'Otassium I Uo,m I Po,m
I serum potassium.* Two hoors' fasting urine sample was used for thedetermination.
system did not disclos~ any abnormalities. The search for an occult tumor was
negative. As th~ serum potassium levelsnormalized, we increased the dose ofcorticosteroids. Two weeks later, an im
provement in both the clinical and laboratory picture was noticed. Serum sodium levels were at the lowest normal
limits (135 mmollL) and serum potassium levels were 3.6 mmoIlL.
224-0
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1\1.5. Elisar et at.
Ectopic production: Cancer (particularly oat cell lung carcinoma)
Table Ill. Major causes of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone.
Neurologic disorc~~s: ~Ieninfitis. tumors. phychiatric disorders. subarachnoid hemorrhage. herpeszoster. \\'ercnicke's encephalopathy
Pulmonary disord~~s: Acute asthma. atelectasis. empyema. pneumothorax. tuberculosis. carcinoma.pneumonia. acute respiratory failure
sequence of abnormal thirst regulationoriginating in the central nervous system.In such cases, the increased ADH secre
tion effects would only become evidentin situations where a superimposed disturbance of urine diluting ability, transcellular ion shifts or increased water in
take will supervene. We would thereforesuggest that - despite the negative findings on both er and MRI examinationof the central nervous system, and theabsence of abnormal findings on CSF
electrophoresis - an abnormal primaryhypersecretion of ADH originating fromclinically undetectable SLE-inducedCNS disease may have been responsible for the patient's decreased serum sodium levels.
In our patient the coexistent hypokalemia, which was in part due to the lowdose corticosteroid treatment and in partto the hyponatremia-induced elevationin aldosterone secretion (14), could havealso played a role in the development ofhyponatremia, since in such cases thereis a transcellular cation exchange inwhich potassium leaves the cell to replace the extracellular stores, and electroneutrality is in part maintained by sodium movement into the cells (17). Thehypothesis of the importance of hypokalemia for the development of hyponatremia is strengthened by the findingof increased sodium levels after potassium supplementation.Interestingly, the coexistent hypoalbuminemia may have contributed to the development of hyponatremia, since it hasbeen suggested that hypoalbuminemia isan important cause of appreciable hyponatremia, and infusions of plasma albumin may reverse the biochemical andclinical findings of hyponatremia (18).In fact. in our case albumin infusion was
followed by a complete normalization ofthe serum sodium levels with a simulta
neous increase in electrolyte-free waterclearance, a finding not previously demonstrated after albumin infusion (19).
(7). SIADH may be caused by enhancedhypothalamic antidiuretic hormone(ADH) secretion, ectopic hormone production (usually due to cancer), potentiation oftheADH effect (as with chlorpropamide), or by administration of medications withADH activity (3,11) (Table Ill). In about one-third of patients,SIADH is associated with a re-setting ofthe hypothalamic osmostat. Since ourpatient did not present with any knowncauses of inappropriate ADH secretion,including pulmonary or neurologic disorders, neoplasia, drugs or coexistinginfection, it is most probable that his syndrome was caused by the underlying disease, that is SLE.SIADH has been infrequently describedin patients with SLE (12-15). The underlying pathogenetic mechanisms ofinappropriate ADH secretion in suchpatients are not well delineated. However, Trachman et al. found elevated
plasmaADH levels in euvolemic patientswith SLE, in spite of an apparently normal renal function (16). It has been suggested that the underlying mechanismsof this hypersecretion of ADH are central, even subclinical, neuroendocrinelesions due to vasculitis, or to focal le
sions by specific antineuronal antibodies. Nevertheless, the majority of SLEpatients. as well as the patients studiedby Trachman. were normonatremic (16).It has been stated that these normal so
dium levels would result from hypodipsia, which can be considered as a con-
sodium concentration and fractional sodium excretion to the administration of
normal saline (1-2 Uday for two days)is also useful to establish a correct diag
nosis, especially in patients whose findings are equivocal (5). The less than 5mmollL increase in serum sodium levels and the increase in FENa+ of more
than 5% observed in our case were suggestive of SIADH. The diagnosis ofSIADH was also supported by the lowserum urea and phosphate levels, as wellas by the significant hypouricemia (serum uric acid levels < 4 mg/dl) combinedwith an increased (> 10%) urinary urateexcretion (7).It should be mentioned, however, that
hyponatremia with inappropriate natriuresis combined with hypouricemia is alsoevident in the cerebral salt wasting syndrome (8-10). In these cases the highurinary sodium concentration representsinappropriate salt wasting rather than aresponse to normal tissue perfusion (ashappens in SIADH) (8-10). The etiologyof this putative syndrome is uncertain;it has been proposed that there may bean increased release of natriuretic sub
stances from hormone-producing neurons in the brain that are activated bycentral neuron dysfunction (10). In ourcase, there was no evidence of the extra
cellular volume depletion commonlyfound in these patients, and neither hypouricemia nor increased urate excretionpersisted after correction of the hyponatremia, thus excluding this possibility
Drugs: Intravenous cyclophosphamide, carbamazepine. chloropropamide, omeprazole,non-steroidal anti-inllammatory drugs. cisplatin
Following major surgery
Administration oi ~xogen()us A.DH or oxytocin
Symptomatic HI\' iniection
Idiopathic'
• In such cases it is important to continue periodic monitoring for an underlying disorder: in particular,
carcinoma or vasculitis (such as temporal arteritis) should be considered when no other etiology is apparent.
Final diagnosisSince the patient did not present anyother known cause of SIADH, it is pos
sible that an abnormal hypersecretion ofADH, originating from a subclinicalCNS lupus disease, was responsible forthe hyponatremia observed. Therefore,
225
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, i\I.S. EIi'af tI al.
we believe that our patient has SlADHin association with SLE.
Patient follow-up(A.A. Drosos)
The patient was treated with methylprednisone 32 mg/day/per os with substantial clinical and laboratory improvement (serum sodium levels: 135 mmol/L and serum potassium 3.6 mmol!L) andhe was discharged from our clinic twoweeks later.
After a month he continued to experience clinical improvement, without rash,fever or weakness. The serum sodium
and potassium levels were 140 mmol!Land 4.0 mmol!L, respectively, The steroid dose was tapered. Six months laterthe patient was asymptomatic on maintenance therapy with 8 mg methylprednisone every other day, while the serumlevels of sodium and potassium werewithin normal limits.
AcknowledgmentThe authors wish to thank Mrs. EleniHorti for her secretarial assistance.
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