Hyponatremia after hip arthroplasty may be related to a translocational rather than to a dilutional mechanism.

Objective: Postoperative hyponatremia is a frequent metabolic disturbance that may cause life-threatening complications. It results from both a positive electrolyte-free water (EFW) balance and an antidiuretic hormone release. During surgery, intracellular solutes may leak out of cells because of an increased membrane permeability leading to increased osmolality, cellular water shift, and redistribution hyponatremia, a concept coined the sick cell syndrome.

Predictive factors of mortality due to polymicrobial peritonitis with Candida isolation in peritoneal fluid in critically ill patients.

Background: Candida peritonitis (CP) is generally considered to be a severe disease, but its impact on outcome in critically ill patients remains unknown.

Hypothesis: The predictive factors of mortality due to CP can be determined by study of a population of patients with CP.

Design: A retrospective review of a prospective surgical intensive care unit (ICU) database of patients (January 1, 1994, through December 31, 2000).