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In a recent issue of the ARCHIVES, Oster and Singer¹ use the correction factor described by Katz² to correct hyponatremia caused by hyperglycemia. According to this correction factor, the serum sodium level decreases by 1.6 mmol/L for each 5.6-mmol/L (100-mg/dl) increase in glucose load; therefore, 1.6 mmol is added to the reported sodium value for every 5.6 mmol of glucose over 5.6 mmol/L. No controlled experimental data are available to support the use of Katz's correction factor.

Heltier et al,³ in a recent study, infused somatostatin to block endogenous insulin secretion in 6 healthy subjects, and the plasma glucose levels were increased to more than 33.3 mmol/L (600 mg/dL) within 1 hour by the infusion of 20% dextrose. The glucose infusion was stopped and insulin was given until the plasma glucose concentrations decreased to 7.8 mmol/L (140 mg/dL). The plasma glucose and serum sodium concentrations were measured every 10 minutes. . . . [Full Text of this Article]