Clinical, biological and pathogenic features of the syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone. A review of 26 cases with marked hyponatraemia

Abstract

Twenty-six patients with the syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone were reviewed. The underlying diseases were bronchogenic carcinoma (12 cases); myxoedema (five cases); diseases of the nervous system (five cases); bronchopneumonia, carcinoma of the oesophagus, acute intermittent porphria and chlorpropamide therapy (each one case). Serum sodium levels ranged between 104 and 125 mEq per litre. Eighteen patients presented neurological manifestations, which in 14 were considered to be due to hyponatraemia. Neurological signs included disorders of consciousness (stage I and II coma), extrapyramidal signs, asterixis and epileptic seizures. An hyponatraemic coma was the first manifestation of the syndrome in five cases. In all cases where the EEG was recorded it showed non-specific signs of metabolic coma. The fundi never showed signs of intracranial hypertension. Blood urea and creatinine levels were invariably low in the euthyroid patients; these values were normal or elevated in patients with myxoedema and hyponatraemia. Hypokalaemia was frequent, and hypocalcaemia constant. In eleven cases an excess of water intake revealed the clinical syndrome: six patients were excessive beer drinkers and five had received extensive intravenous infusions. In one case the deleterious effect of diuretics was evident, and in another, the syndrome became evident during radiotherapy of an oesophageal tumour. Treatment of the syndrome was successful in all cases. A review of the literature concerning the various pathogenic mechanisms corresponding to the different underlying diseases is presented. The concept of aberrant hormonal production by a tumour is illustrated by an electron microscopic study.