Importance of Sodium Levels for Geriatric Patients Presented to the Emergency Department with a Simple Fall

Abstract

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of plasma sodium concentration on falls in geriatric patients age of ≥65 years who visited the emergency room for simple falls.
Materials and Methods: The ages and genders of the patients, plasma sodium values at presentation, localizations of the injuries, radiological examination results (radiography and computed tomography), classification of the injury, the presence of accompanying fractures and whether the patient had been referred from a nursing home were recorded and injuries were compared according to sodium levels.
Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the location of the injuries and the presence of hyponatremia (p=0.743). The prevalence of hyponatremia was statistically significant in the patients who were referred from a nursing home for simple falls (p<0.001). The increase in the incidence of vertebral and pelvic injuries as hyponatremia became more severe was statistically significant (p<0.001).
Conclusion: Hyponatremia should be considered as an independent risk factor for falls in patients who are ≥65 years. Hyponatremia is more common in the patients who are staying in nursing homes.In our study,  no direct relationship between hyponatremia and fracture formation has been detected.

Keywords

• Accidental falls,geriatric assessment,hyponatremia

Acil Servise Basit Düşme Şikayetiyle Gelen Geriatrik Hastalarda Sodyum Seviyesinin Önemi

Öz

Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı acil servise basit düşme nedeniyle başvuran 65 yaş ve üstü hastalarda serum

sodyum değeri ile düşme ilişkisini belirlemektir.

Materyal ve Metot: Hastaların yaşları, cinsiyetleri, gelişteki sodyum değerleri, yaralanma bölgeleri,

radyolojik inceleme sonuçları (düz grafi ve tomografi), yaralanmanın sınıflaması, eşlik eden kırık varlığı

ve hastanın bakım evinden gelip gelmediği kaydedildi ve yaralanmalar sodyum seviyelerine göre

karşılaştırıldı.

Bulgular: Yaralanma bölgeleri ile hiponatremi varlığı arasında anlamlı farklılık tespit edilmedi.

(p=0,743). Basit düşme ile bakımevinden gelen hastalarda hiponatremi prevalansı, bakımevinden

gelmeyen hastalara göre istatistiksel olarak anlamlı derecede yüksek bulundu (p<0,001). Hiponatremi

derinleştikçe vertebra ve pelvis yaralanmalarında anlamlı artış görüldü (p<0,001).

Sonuç: Acil servise basit düşmeyle gelen 65 yaş ve üstü hastalarda, hiponatremi düşme için bir risk

faktörü olarak göz önüne alınmalıdır. Bakımevlerinde yaşayan kişilerde hiponatremi diğer hastalara göre

daha sık görülmektedir. Çalışmamızda hiponatremi ile kırık oluşumu arasında doğrudan bir ilişki

saptanamamıştır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Kaza ile düşme,geriatrik değerlendirme,hiponatremi

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