Serum electrolytes disorder and its associated factors among adults admitted with metabolic syndrome in Jimma Medical Center, South West Ethiopia: Facility based crossectional study

Abstract

Background: Electrolytes play an important role in controlling acid base balance, blood clotting, and body fluid and muscle contractions. Serum electrolytes concentrations are most commonly used tests for assessment of a patient's clinical conditions, and are associated with morbidity and mortality. Any derangements from the normal range of electrolyte levels in the body is described as electrolyte disorders. The Current study was aimed to determine serum electrolytes disorder and its associated factors among adults admitted with metabolic syndrome at Jimma medical center, South West Ethiopia.

Methods: A Facility based cross sectional study was conducted on 256 patients admitted medical center with metabolic syndrome during the study period. The World Health Organization stepwise assessment tools and patients' medical records were used to collect information on factors associated with electrolyte disorders. Bivariable and Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with electrolyte disorder at the level of significance of p value <0.25 with 95% confidence interval of crude odds ratio and <0.05 with 95% confidence interval of adjusted odds ratio respectively.

Results: The overall prevalence of electrolyte disorders was 44.1% (95%CI:40.99-47.20) with hyponatremia 42.9% (95%CI:39.81-45.99) as the leading electrolyte disorder followed by hypokalemia 20.7% (95%CI:18.17-23.23), hypochloremia 17.6% (95%CI:15.22-19.98) and hypocalcemia 9.4% (95%CI:7.57-11.22). Non-formal education [AOR: 6.81; 95%CI:(3.48,17.01)] alcohol consumption [AOR: 4.28; 95%CI:(1.71,10.70)], diuretics, diuretics [AOR: 4.39; 95%CI:(2.10,9.15)], antidiabetics [AOR: 5.18; 95%CI:(2.44,11.00)], and body mass index [AOR: 11.51; 95%CI:(3.50,18.81)] were identified as independent factors for electrolyte disturbance in multivariable logistic regression.

Conclusion: The finding of the study revealed that nearly half the study participants with metabolic syndromes had electrolyte disorder. Educational status, habit of alcohol consumption, diuretics, antidiabetics, and having higher body mass index were the independent factors associated with electrolyte disorders. Determination of Serum electrolytes, proper administration of diuretic and health education on behavioral factors were the necessary measures that should be done by concerned bodies to reduce electrolytes disorder.

Fig 1. Behavioral factors among respondents admitted to medical ward with metabolic syndromes, in Jimma Medical Center, South west Ethiopia from April-May 2019.

Fig 2. Distribution of known comorbidities precipitating for electrolyte disturbance among patients with and without electrolyte disturbance, in Jimma Medical Center, South west Ethiopia from April-May 2019.