Diseases associated with electrolyte imbalance in the emergency department: age-related differences

• Published in: The American journal of emergency medicine 2016
• Main Authors: Giordano, Mauro, MD, Ciarambino, Tiziana, MD, Castellino, Pietro, MD, Malatino, Lorenzo, MD, Di Somma, Salvatore, MD, Biolo, Gianni, MD, Paolisso, Giuseppe, MD, Adinolfi, Luigi Elio, MD
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Emergency
• ISSN: 0735-6757
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ajem.2016.05.056

Abstract Objective To investigate the prevalence of Electrolyte Imbalance (EI) in the emergency department (ED) with systemic diseases in different decades of life. Methods We enrolled patients admitted to the Emergency Department (ED). The population study, included 7941 patients, subdivided in three groups: young group (Y), middle-aged group (MA) and elderly group (E). Results We observed electrolyte imbalance in 13.7% of the whole population. Hyponatremia (hNa+ ) is the most frequent EI (44%) followed by hypokalemia (hK+ ) (39%), hyperkalemia (HK+ ) (13%) and hypernatremia (HNa+ ) (4.4%). In the Y group, the EI occurred in 7.1% of all patients (p < 0.05 vs M and E), while in the MA group they were shown in 11.5% of patients and in the E group in 22% of all patients group (p < 0.05 vs MA and Y). In the Y group, gastrointestinal diseases are the most frequently associated disease (24.6%; p < 0.05 vs MA and E). In the MA group, the most frequently associated disease was a current cardiovascular disease (29.7%; p < 0.05 vs Y and E). In the E group, the frequently associated disease are cardiovascular (22.8% p < 0.05 vs Y) and lung diseases (16.7%; p < 0.05 vs MA and Y). Conclusions In our study 13.7% of all patients showed an electrolyte imbalance, and only in 2% of cases was alone without any associated systemic disease. The majority of EI are associated to other systemic diseases. The present data also depict different age-related and disease-associated prevalence patterns of electrolyte imbalance, so highlighting a complex clinical scenario.