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Urine sodium concentrations are predictive of hypoadrenocorticism in hyponatraemic dogs: a retrospective pilot study
Author(s) -
Len E. M.,
Hummel J. B.,
Vaden S. L.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of small animal practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.7
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1748-5827
pISSN - 0022-4510
DOI - 10.1111/jsap.12792
Subject(s) - medicine , urine , urine sodium , adrenal insufficiency , sodium , hyponatremia , retrospective cohort study , reference range , gastroenterology , endocrinology , chemistry , organic chemistry
Objectives To determine if a urine sodium concentration could be used to rule out hypoadrenocorticism in hyponatraemic dogs. Materials and Methods Medical records were reviewed for hyponatraemic dogs (serum sodium<135 mmol/L) that had recorded urine sodium concentrations. Twenty hyponatraemic dogs were included: 11 diagnosed with classical hypoadrenocorticism and nine with non‐adrenal causes of hyponatraemia. A Wilcoxon rank‐sum test was used to compare results between groups. Results No dog with hypoadrenocorticism had a urine sodium concentration less than 30 mmol/L. Urine sodium concentration in dogs with hypoadrenocorticism was significantly higher (median 103 mmol/L, range: 41 to 225) than in dogs with non‐adrenal illness (median 10 mmol/L, range: 2 to 86) (P<0·0005). Serum sodium concentrations were not significantly different between dogs with hypoadrenocorticism and dogs with non‐adrenal illness. Clinical Significance These results suggest that urine sodium concentrations can be used to prioritise a differential diagnosis of hypoadrenocorticism in hyponatraemic dogs. A urine sodium concentration less than 30 mmol/L in a hyponatraemic dog makes classical hypoadrenocorticism an unlikely cause of the hyponatraemia. Nevertheless, because of the small sample size our results should be interpreted with caution and a larger follow‐up study would be valuable.