Hyponatremia in Cancer Patients Hospitalized in a Palliative Care Department: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

José Ferraz Gonçalves; Mariana Brandão; Ana Arede; Bárbara Prucha; Inês Grilo; Susete Freitas; Isabel Costa; Olímpia Martins; Vânia Araújo

doi:10.20344/amp.15810

Hyponatremia in Cancer Patients Hospitalized in a Palliative Care Department: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

Authors

José Ferraz Gonçalves Serviço de Cuidados Paliativos. Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto. Porto. Departamento Medicina da Comunidade, Informação e Decisão em Saúde. Faculdade de Medicina. Universidade do Porto. Porto.
Mariana Brandão Medical Oncology Department. Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto. Porto. Academic Trials Promoting Team. Institut Jules Bordet. Brussels. Belgium.
Ana Arede Serviço de Oncologia. Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Algarve. Faro.
Bárbara Prucha Unidade de Saúde Familiar Navegantes. Agrupamento de Centros de Saúde Póvoa de Varzim/ Vila do Conde. Póvoa de Varzim.
Inês Grilo Serviço de Oncologia. Centro Hospitalar de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro. Vila Real.
Susete Freitas Unidade de Cuidados Paliativos. Hospital Dr. João d’Almada. Funchal. Madeira.
Isabel Costa Serviço de Cuidados Paliativos. Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto. Porto.
Olímpia Martins Unidade de Cuidados Paliativos. Centro Hospitalar Tâmega e Sousa. Guilhufe.
Vânia Araújo Serviço de Cuidados Paliativos. Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto. Porto.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.20344/amp.15810

Keywords:

Hyponatremia, Neoplasms/complications, Palliative Care

Abstract

Introduction: Hyponatremia is frequent in cancer patients, as many studies carried out in these patients have shown. However, there are only a few studies carried out at the end of life and in palliative care. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of hyponatremia in cancer patients in the palliative care department of an oncology center and its association with survival.
Material and Methods: The study included the first 300 patients hospitalized in the palliative care department in 2017. Survival was measured from the day of hospitalization until death.
Results: Serum sodium was measured in 170 (59%) patients. The median serum concentration was 135 mmol/L (109 to 145). Among 91 (54%) patients, serum sodium was within the normal range, 59 (35%) had mild hyponatremia, 13 (8%) had moderate and seven (4%) had profound hyponatremia. The median survival was 13 days (1 to 1020). Serum sodium was not significantly associated with survival (p = 0.463). Regarding other variables, the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status was significantly associated with survival, while gender, age, primary cancer and number of metastatic sites were not.
Conclusion: Hyponatremia is common in cancer patients receiving palliative care but did not seem to influence survival.

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Published

2022-02-01

How to Cite

Ferraz Gonçalves J, Brandão M, Arede A, Prucha B, Grilo I, Freitas S, Costa I, Martins O, Araújo V. Hyponatremia in Cancer Patients Hospitalized in a Palliative Care Department: A Cross-Sectional Analysis. Acta Med Port [Internet]. 2022 Feb. 1 [cited 2024 Apr. 19];35(2):105-10. Available from: https://actamedicaportuguesa.com/revista/index.php/amp/article/view/15810

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Issue

Vol. 35 No. 2 (2022): February

Section

Original

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