Hypertriglyceridemia in Infants and Children with Hypernatremia.

BACKGROUND Hypertriglyceridemia in association with hypernatremia was reported in a few children; however, studies exploring this association are limited. OBJECTIVE To determine the pattern of change in serum triglycerides levels in hypernatremia patients. DESIGN AND SETTING A prospective case-control study done at North West Armed Forces Hospital, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia from April 2008 to March 2011. PATIENTS AND METHOD serum triglycerides and sodium were measured in 16 patients with hypernatremic dehydration as a study group and 14 patients with isonatremic dehydration as a control group. The trend of serum sodium and triglycerides was followed during treatment in the study group. RESULTS There were 6 boys and 8 girls in the control group (isonatremic dehydration). Their age ranged between 4 months and five years (M±SD = 1.7±1.3 years). In the study group (hypernatremic dehydration), there were 6 boys and 10 girls. The age range was 2-14 months (M±SD = 0.6±0.4 years). The serum sodium and triglycerides (M±SD = 165.8±9.1 mmol/l, 5.1±8.1 mmol/l respectively) were significantly higher compared with the control group (M±SD = 137.5±3.9 mmol/l, 0.7±0.3 mmol/l and P < 0.001, P < 0.05 respectively). Duration of symptoms in patients with hypernatremic dehydration (M±SD = 2.9±2.4 days) were comparable to control group (M±SD = 2.0±0.9 days, P = 0.18). Four patients from the study group had normal serum triglycerides (M±SD = 1.1±0.1 mmol/l). With treatment, serum sodium was normalized in all patients followed by serum triglycerides. CONCLUSION Hypertriglyceridemia is present in most children with hypernatremia and it disappears when serum sodium returns to normal.