DISORDERED WATER HOMEOSTASIS IN ASIAN PATIENTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of po lydipsia-hyponatremia among patients with schizophrenia in an Asian me ntal hospital. Method: Seven hundred and twenty-eight inpatients with schizophrenia were assessed for polydipsia-hyponatremia using case not es reviews, specific gravity of urine, normalised diurnal weight gain, and serum sodium levels. Results: One hundred and three (13.8%) patie nts had polydipsia, 30 (4.1%) had polydipsia-hyponatremia and 14(1.9%) had a history of water intoxication. Eight of the 30 patients were re ceiving carbamazepine, three were on tricyclic antidepressants and two had diabetes mellitus and were on sulfonylureas. Conclusion: The prev alence of water intoxication among polydipsic patients was low compare d to Western studies. This could be due to different methods of assess ing polyuria, or ethnic differences and/or the prohibition of smoking in our patients. Certain medications might have also contributed to hy ponatremia.