Observational Study: Prevalence of Hyponatremia in Acute Stroke Patients in a Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Nigeria

West Afr J Med . 2022 Nov 30;39(11):1188-1192.

Abstract

Background: Hyponatremia is a common electrolyte imbalance which is readily observed in patients with neurological disorders such as stroke. It is associated with increased morbidity and mortality during and after hospitalization. There has not been any study to demonstrate the frequency of admission hyponatremia in acute stroke patients in Nigeria. It is against this backdrop that we embarked on this study to determine the frequency and pattern of admission hyponatremia in acute stroke patients in a Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Nigeria.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional observational hospitalbased study undertaken at the Emergency unit of the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, Nigeria from November 2021 to April 2022.

Results: Amongst the 177 acute stroke patients enrolled in the study, 58 (32.8%) had hyponatremia. Advanced age, alteration in consciousness, and haemorrhagic (intracerebral and subarachnoid haemorrhage) stroke were significantly associated with presence of hyponatremia.

Conclusion: Admission hyponatremia is prevalent amongst acute stroke patients in Abakaliki, Nigeria and commonly associated with advanced age, alteration in consciousness and haemorrhagic stroke.

Keywords: Abakaliki; Acute stroke; Hyponatremia; Medical emergency; Nigeria.

C O Eze ¹, O F Afolabi ², A U Kalu ³