Excessive Sodium Bicarbonate Infusion May Result in Osmotic Demyelination Syndrome During Treatment of Diabetic Ketoacidosis: A Case Report

A Rare Case of Inadvertent Iatrogenic Osmotic Demyelination Syndrome

A 73-year-old African American male presented with altered mental status, severe hyperglycemia, and acute kidney injury. His metabolic derangements including hyperglycemia and hyponatremia were initially thought to be the cause of his encephalopathy. While managing his hyperglycemic hyperosmolar non-ketotic state, he received intravenous rehydration with almost three times his physiologic requirement for normalization of his electrolyte abnormalities. After the correction of the metabolic derangements, he remained confused with dysarthria and labile mood. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed osmotic demyelination syndrome.

Central pontine myelinolysis mimicking glioma in diabetes: A case report

BACKGROUND

Central pontine myelinolysis (CPM) usually occurs during rapid correction of serum osmolality, typically with brainstem lesions presenting uniform signals following enhancement on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We report a case of CPM caused by diabetes, which was characterized by glioma-like imaging features and the patient responded well to corticosteroids.

CASE SUMMARY

A 49-year-old man with type 2 diabetes was admitted due to numbness and weakness for 6 mo with progressive aggravation for 2 wk. His complete blood count, serum electrolytes, renal and liver function parameters were within the normal range. MRI showed mass lesions in the brainstem, with unusually inhomogeneous signal intensity after contrast-enhanced scans. His symptoms worsened after hypoglycemic therapy. Due to his clinical history and examination results, CPM was considered the most likely diagnosis. Treatment with corticosteroids was administered with a methylprednisolone pulse in the acute phase followed by dose tapering. During the 8-mo follow-up period, his clinical symptoms and imaging features significantly improved.

CONCLUSION

Diabetes could rarely be accompanied by CPM, and patients who experience this neurological complication could benefit from corticosteroid treatment. Clinicians should recognize the special relationship between diabetes and CPM, and improve awareness of early identification and appropriate treatment.

Prolonged Altered Mental Status in a Diabetic Hemodialysis Patient

Osmotic demyelination syndrome (ODS) is a demyelinating disorder of the central nervous system. It usually occurs with rapid correction of severe chronic hyponatremia. ODS is rarely seen as a complication of hyperglycemia. Herein, we report a rare presentation of ODS secondary to hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state. A 28-year-old female with type 1 diabetes, hypertension, seizure disorder, and end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis was brought from a shelter with two days of unresponsiveness and developed ODS after hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state in long-standing uncontrolled diabetes with normal serum electrolyte levels.