Electrolyte disturbances in elderly population of coastal Karnataka

Introduction: Various anatomical and physiological changes have been reported in renal system with advancing age. These changes might lead to electrolyte disturbances in elderly even in the absence of kidney diseases, which are responsible for high morbidity and mortality . Electrolyte disorders in elderly are least explored in India. So we aim to conduct a retrospective comparison of serum electrolytes in elderly and young adults as well as to study the correlation between age and serum electrolytes. Methodology: A retrospective study was conducted in patients attending teaching hospital attached to Karwar Institute of Medical Sciences. Total 227 patients’ data was studied after excluding conditions affecting electrlytes, out of which 70 were elderly and 157 were young adults.Serum electrolytes were measured in biochemistry laboratory using an electrolyte analyzer which works on the principle of ion selective electrodes. Results: We observed significantly low sodium levels ( P=0.0385) and high potassium levels (P=0.0009) in elderly patients compared to controls. Linear regression analysis showed an extremely significant negative correlation (P=0.0002) between age and sodium, correlation coefficient r= -0.2449, R 2 = 0.060. Conclusion: We didn’t find derangement of electrolytes in elderly, but we observed lowered sodium and high potassium in geriatric population as compared to young adults. This demands better care and awareness of electrolyte imbalances which might lead to high morbidity and mortality if neglected. It necessitates immediate treatment options to avoid further complications in elderly.