Association of intranasal desmopressin therapy with overcorrection of severe hyponatremia: A retrospective, propensity score-based, single-center cohort study

Purpose: Severe hyponatremia, defined as serum sodium concentration ([sNa]) <= 120 mEq/L, requires aggressive treatment to prevent potentially fatal cerebral edema, seizures, and other sequelae, but overcorrection can also result in life-threatening cerebral hemorrhage and demyelination. We compared the safety and efficacy of nasal desmopressin to conventional management for the prevention of [sNa] overcorrection. Material and methods: This retrospective analysis compared 47 patients treated with desmopressin to 17 patients treated conventionally at a university hospital ICU in Japan between 2013 and 2018 using propensity score-based approaches. The primary outcome was safe [sNa] correction, defined as a <= 8 mEq/L difference between baseline and follow-up [sNa] at any time within 24h of diagnosis. Results: The 24-h safe correction rate was significantly greater in the desmopressin group than the conventional treatment group (68% [32/47] vs. 41% [7/17], P = 0.039), and dose-response analysis indicated a positive association between cumulative 24-h desmopressin dose and safe correction at 24 h (P = 0.003). Few overcorrections precluded reliable assessment at 48 h. Exacerbation of hyponatremia was comparable in the two treatment groups. Conclusions: Intranasal desmopressin therapy increased the safe correction of severe hyponatremia. Large prospective trials are warranted to confirm this result. (c) 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The study compared the safety and efficacy of nasal desmopressin to conventional management in preventing overcorrection of severe hyponatremia. The results showed that intranasal desmopressin therapy increased the safe correction of severe hyponatremia, indicating a need for large prospective trials to confirm these findings.