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Water, electrolytes and epilepsy

1970; Elsevier BV; Volume: 11; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/0022-510x(70)90081-x

1878-5883

E. H. Reynolds,

Ion channel regulation and function

Body water, sodium and potassium distribution have been studied in 27 male and 15 female epileptic patients. Nine (7 male, 2 female) of the epileptic patients also suffered from depression. Total body potassium was measured by whole-body counting of natural 40K. Exchangeable sodium, bromine space (for extracellular water) and total body water (TBW) were estimated with 24Na, 82Br and tritium respectively. The data have been analysed for various subgroups of epilepsy, according to type, severity and the presence or absence of depression. The results have also been compared with previously published findings obtained with the same technique in patients who have recovered from depression or (where appropriate) were suffering from depression. With increasing severity of epilepsy the TBW remains unaltered but there is a significant fall in ICW/ECW ratio which is due partly to a rise in extracellular water (ECW) and partly to a corresponding fall in intracellular water (ICW). There is a significant rise in exchangeable sodium in severe epileptics and also in epileptic patients with depression. There is an elevation of residual sodium and residual sodium concentration in severe epileptics but the increase is not as great as that which occurs in epileptic patients with depression or in control patients with depression. No disturbances were found in the body distribution of potassium in epilepsy. There are no differences in body water, sodium or potassium distribution between idiopathic and focal epileptic patients. The possible interpretations of these results are discussed and it is concluded that the changes in body water and sodium are linked, in a way as yet obscure, to the aetiology of epilepsy.