Evaluation of the Relationship Between Serum Sodium Concentration and Mortality Rate in ICU Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury

Abstract

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of death and disability globally, and serum sodium disorders are the most common and probably the most poorly understood electrolyte disorders in neurological diseases. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the serum sodium level and its disorders including hyponatremia and hypernatremia in patients with TBI and evaluate the sodium levels at the time of admission, the first week, and the second week after admission. Methods: This observational prospective descriptive-analytic study included patients with TBI admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of Saint Al-Zahra hospital, Isfahan, Iran during 2 015- 2016. Patients' demographic factors, hemodynamic and paraclinical data were documented in the information forms and imported to and analyzed using SPSS v.22. All of the statistical tests were conducted at an error level of 5. Results: Demographic indices were not significantly different in the first and second weeks of the study between patients who died and the recovered or survived individuals. It was found that the mean of serum sodium was 146.26 mEq/L in patients who died and 142.66 in alive patients (P < 0.001) in the first week and 147.8 in the patients who died and 144.03 in alive patients (P < 0.001) in the second week. Conclusions: The mortality prevalence of patients with TBI admitted to the ICU who have dysnatremia is high and can increase the risk of mortality remarkably. The mortality risk of hypernatremia is significantly higher than that of hyponatremia.