The WHO has estimated that by 2020, Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs) will be the third greatest cause of the disease burden and injuries globally. A study has shown that in India, 11% of the deaths which are caused by non communicable diseases are due to injuries, and that 78% of the injuries are caused by RTAs. RTAs are also the leading causes of the mortality in young adults who are less than 45 years of age and more so, in males. Electrolyte disturbances are common after neurologic injuries and the most common electrolyte abnormalities are sodium disturbances. Hyponatraemia is defined as serum sodium levels of < 135 mmol/l. It is more common after head injuries and in patients with neurological disorders than in the general hospital population. This study was undertaken to estimate the number of subjects with hyponatraemia following head injuries after RTAs and to seek out a relationship if any, between hyponatraemia at admission and the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, between the serum sodium values and the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) stay and between the GCS score and the ICU stay. (Author/publisher)
Abstract