Rapid reversal of diffuse cerebral edema with correction of serum sodium in acute water intoxication

Adam Austin; Biplab K Saha; Joseph Giampa; Scott H Beegle

doi:10.1016/j.jocn.2020.04.011

Rapid reversal of diffuse cerebral edema with correction of serum sodium in acute water intoxication

J Clin Neurosci. 2020 Aug:78:409-410. doi: 10.1016/j.jocn.2020.04.011. Epub 2020 Apr 27.

Authors

Adam Austin¹, Biplab K Saha², Joseph Giampa³, Scott H Beegle²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, USA.
³ Department of Radiology, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, USA.

PMID: 32354647
DOI: 10.1016/j.jocn.2020.04.011

Abstract

Acute water intoxication (AWI) is a disorder of excess water intake that can manifest in neurological injury and death. We describe a case of a 54-year-old man that presents to the emergency department with a generalized toxic-clonic seizure due to AWI. Initial computed tomography of the brain demonstrated diffuse cerebral edema. However, with correction of serum sodium over the one hospital day, the patient's neurological symptoms and imaging completely resolved. Clinicians should recognize of reversibility of this entity with management of hyponatremia.

Keywords: Cerebral edema; Hyponatremia; Water intoxication.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Brain / diagnostic imaging
Brain Edema / diagnostic imaging
Brain Edema / etiology*
Brain Edema / prevention & control
Early Medical Intervention
Humans
Hyponatremia / diagnosis
Hyponatremia / therapy
Male
Middle Aged
Seizures
Sodium / blood*
Tomography, X-Ray Computed / methods
Water Intoxication / blood*
Water Intoxication / diagnosis

Substances

Sodium