Abstract

Osmotic demyelination syndrome (ODS) may be precipitated by aggressive correction of a hypoosmolar state. We report the case of a 24-year-old woman who developed ODS during rapid correction of asymptomatic hyponatremia caused by pituitrin prescribed for hemoptysis. After hyponatremia correction by NaCl supplementation, the patient developed limb weakness, blurred vision, hand and perioral numbness, and lisp. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed bilateral signal hyperintensity of the globus pallidus and caudate nucleus, compatible with extra-pontine ODS. These symptoms improved gradually with treatment, and brain MRI ~ 3 months later indicated substantial resolution of ODS. This case serves as a warning to physicians that hypoosmotic correction must be achieved at a controlled rate.

Author Details

Authors

• Dan Hua Xu¹,³
• Min Yuan²
• Jian Wen Wang²
• Yun Zhen Hu¹

Departments

• ¹ Department of Pharmacy,
• ² Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, and
• ³ Department of Pharmacy, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Yiwu, China

Address

Yunzhen Hu, MD
Department of Pharmacy
The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine
Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
Email: [email protected]

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