Endocrine Abstracts

A 73-year-old independent female presented with reduced consciousness following a tonic-clonic seizure. Investigations revealed acute hyponatraemia, with a serum sodium of 103 mmol/l. Cortisol reserve and thyroid function was normal and the biochemical diagnosis was consistent with SiADH. A CT brain scan was normal. Hypertonic saline was commenced with empirical anti-viral and antibiotic therapy. Lumbar puncture revealed a slightly elevated CSF protein and her EEG showed non-s...

A 52-year-old man was referred in June 2009 with weakness, unsteadiness, diarrhoea and weight loss of 14 kg in the last 4 months. His past medical history included hypertension, ischaemic heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He was a heavy smoker and admitted to drinking heavily for the past 9 months. His serum sodium was 126 mmol/l, serum potassium 2.0 mmol/l, serum bicarbonate 31 mmol/l. His chest X-ray was normal. He had had persistent hypokalaemia for 4...