TY - JOUR
T1 - Misleading hyponatremia due to hyperlipemia
T2 - A method-dependent error
AU - Ladenson, J. H.
AU - Apple, F. S.
AU - Koch, D. D.
PY - 1981
Y1 - 1981
N2 - Dangerous pseudohyponatremia can occur in patients with hyperlipemia. This condition can lead to a misdiagnosis of either hyponatremia or normonatremia. Correction for the effects of lipemia by measuring lipids or ultracentrifuging specimens is clearly not practical in the acute setting. The recommendation of following plasma osmolality, urinary electrolytes, or both is prudent but is not directly addressed by our study. Rather, our study indicates that the pseudohyponatremia is totally dependent on the technique used for measuring sodium. The direct potentiometric techniques that are being increasingly used are not influenced by the presence of lipids, but flame photometric and indirect potentiometric methods give low results. Therefore, it is essential that the laboratory report indicate and the clinician consider which technique was used in measuring the sodium or potassium value in hyperlipemic subjects to correctly interpret the results. This is especially important if both techniques are in use at the same laboratory.
AB - Dangerous pseudohyponatremia can occur in patients with hyperlipemia. This condition can lead to a misdiagnosis of either hyponatremia or normonatremia. Correction for the effects of lipemia by measuring lipids or ultracentrifuging specimens is clearly not practical in the acute setting. The recommendation of following plasma osmolality, urinary electrolytes, or both is prudent but is not directly addressed by our study. Rather, our study indicates that the pseudohyponatremia is totally dependent on the technique used for measuring sodium. The direct potentiometric techniques that are being increasingly used are not influenced by the presence of lipids, but flame photometric and indirect potentiometric methods give low results. Therefore, it is essential that the laboratory report indicate and the clinician consider which technique was used in measuring the sodium or potassium value in hyperlipemic subjects to correctly interpret the results. This is especially important if both techniques are in use at the same laboratory.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0019800173&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.7326/0003-4819-95-6-707
DO - 10.7326/0003-4819-95-6-707
M3 - Article
C2 - 7305152
AN - SCOPUS:0019800173
SN - 0003-4819
VL - 95
SP - 707
EP - 708
JO - Annals of internal medicine
JF - Annals of internal medicine
IS - 6
ER -