Evaluation of Term Newborn Patients With Hypernatremic Dehydration

Abstract

Aim: We aimed to evaluate the demographic, clinical, and laboratory findings and the management of newborns with hypernatremic dehydration (HDH).

Materials and methods: A total of 85 term newborns with serum sodium (Na) levels higher than 145 mEq/L who admitted to our hospital between January 2011 and December 2018 were included in this study.

Results: Among all cases, 54.1% were female infants with the mean birth weight, weight loss ratio, and median age at diagnosis of 3095 ± 540 g, 13.6 ± 10%, and 8 (2-24) days, respectively. The most common presenting complaints were breastfeeding difficulties (90.5%), fever (63.5%), decreased urination (43.5%), jaundice (22.3%), and convulsion (15.3%). The mean sodium and potassium, and median blood urea and creatinine levels on admission were 167.9 ± 13.4 mEq/L, 5.4 ± 2.8 mmol/L, 213 mg/dL (11-476 mg/dL), and 2.4 mg/dL (0.52-9.96 mg/dL), respectively. There was metabolic acidosis in 67% and acute renal failure in 74.4% of patients, while peritoneal dialysis was performed in 12 of them. There was a positive correlation between weight loss ratio and admission age, serum urea, and creatinine levels; there was a negative correlation between weight loss and blood pH. Eight patients died (9.4%).

Conclusions: In our study, serum urea, creatinine, potassium, metabolic acidosis levels, convulsion, and dialysis requirements at the time of admission of the newborns with HDH were found to be higher in those who died compared to those who survived. Convulsion was a presenting complaint, and it was also observed during the treatment.

Keywords: Hypernatremia; mortality; newborn.