BACKGROUND: Our study aimed to demonstrate the frequency of the syndrome of inappropriate ADH secretion (SIADH) and associated factors during the course of brucellosis in children and adolescents.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included children and adolescents aged 0–18 years old diagnosed with brucellosis between 2012 and 2014. The data were collected from patient charts. The diagnosis of brucellosis was made based on titrations >1:160 in standard Wright tube agglutination tests and/or positive culture tests. SIADH diagnosis was made based on the following criteria: euvolemic hyponatremia, serum Na+ <135 mmol/L, presence of serum hypoosmolarity (serum osmolarity <275 mOsm/L), increased urinary sodium (>25 mmol/L with normal dietary salt intake), low uric acid (<2 mg/dL), absence of kidney, thyroid or adrenal disease, and any anti-diuretic use.

RESULTS: The study included 160 children and adolescents with mean age of 9.58±3.95 years (range: 2–18 years) including 70 girls (43.8%) and 90 boys (56.2%). When the patients were stratified based on SIADH, it was found that SIADH was present in 35 patients (21.9%). SIADH was associated with elevated glucose (p<0.001), ALT (p<0.05), AST (p<0.05), LDH (p<0.001), CRP (p<0.001), and MPV (p<0.001); and decreased potassium (p<0.05), chloride (p<0.001), albumin (p<0.001), total protein (p<0.05), and hemoglobin (p<0.05) levels.

CONCLUSIONS: Our study reports on the frequency, clinical characteristics, predisposing factors, and management of SIADH that can develop in children and adolescents diagnosed with brucellosis.

Keywords: Adolescent, brucellosis, Child, Inappropriate ADH Syndrome