Acid–base and electrolyte disorders in patients with diabetes mellitus

• Published in: Saudi journal of kidney diseases and transplantation 2012, Vol.23 (1), p.58-62
• Main Authors: Kalogiannidou, Irini, Tersi, Maria, Armentzioiou, Karmen, Sivridis, Dimitrios, Mavromatidis, Konstantinos, Sotirakopoulos, Nikolaos
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acid-Base Imbalance - blood; Acid-Base Imbalance - etiology; Acid-base imbalances; Acidosis; Acidosis - blood; Acidosis - etiology; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Alkalosis - blood; Alkalosis - etiology; Biomarkers - blood; Blood Gas Analysis; Chi-Square Distribution; Chlorides - blood; Complications; Creatinine - blood; Diabetes; Diabetes Complications - blood; Diabetes Complications - etiology; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - blood; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - complications; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - blood; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - complications; Diabetic Nephropathies - blood; Diabetic Nephropathies - etiology; Electrolytes; Female; Greece; Health aspects; Hospitals, General; Humans; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Hyperkalemia - blood; Hyperkalemia - etiology; Hypernatremia - blood; Hypernatremia - etiology; Hypokalemia - blood; Hypokalemia - etiology; Hyponatremia - blood; Hyponatremia - etiology; Male; Middle Aged; Nuitritional aspects; Outpatients; Potassium - blood; Prospective Studies; Proteinuria - blood; Proteinuria - etiology; Risk factors; Sodium - blood; Water-Electrolyte Imbalance - blood; Water-Electrolyte Imbalance - etiology; Water-electrolyte imbalances; اضطرابات الكهارل; الاختلالات الحمضية القاعدية; المرضى; المضاعفات; مرض السكري
• ISSN: 1319-2442; 2320-3838
• DOI: 10.4103/1319-2442.91302

Diabetes mellitus is the most common metabolic disorder in the community. The diabetics may suffer from acid-base and electrolyte disorders due to complications of diabetes mellitus and the medication they receive. In this study, acid-base and electrolyte disorders were evaluated among outpatient diabetics in our hospital. The study consisted of patients with diabetes mellitus who visited the hospital as outpatients between the period January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2006. The patients’ medical history, age and type of diabetes were noted, including whether they were taking diuretics and calcium channel blockers or not. Serum creatinine, proteins, sodium, potassium and chloride and blood gases were measured in all patients. Proteinuria was measured by 24-h urine collection. Two hundred and ten patients were divided in three groups based on the serum creatinine. Group A consisted of 114 patients that had serum creatinine 3.1 mg / dL. Of the 210 patients, 176 had an acid-base disorder. The most common disorder noted in group A was metabolic alkalosis. In groups B and C, the common disorders were metabolic acidosis and alkalosis, and metabolic acidosis, respectively. The most common electrolyte disorders were hypernatremia (especially in groups A and B), hypernatremia (group C) and hyperkalemia (especially in groups B and C). It is concluded that : (a) in diabetic outpatients, acid-base and electrolyte disorders occurred often even if the renal function is normal, (b) the most common disorders are metabolic alkalosis and metabolic acidosis (the frequency increases with the deterioration of the renal function) and (c) the common electrolyte disorders are hypernatremia and hyperkalemia.