Factores asociados a deshidratación hipernatrémica en neonatos hospitalizados en el servicio de pediatría del Hospital Vicente Corral Moscoso. Estudio de casos y controles

Abstract

Introduction: Hypernatremic dehydration refers to electrolytic imbalance due to the increase of sodium in the blood, it can cause neurological damage and even death in neonates. It is rarely diagnosed, of variable severity, indistinguishable from sepsis and eventually fatal. It also affects healthy neonates early discharged from the hospital and it is associated with poor breastfeeding techniques. Objective: Identify the associated factors to hypernatremic dehydration in neonates hospitalized in the pediatric ward at Vicente Corral Moscoso Hospital, Cuenca – Ecuador. Methods: Analytical study of cases (101) and controls (202), paired by sex, maternal age of risk and gestational age, nested. The analysis to determine the association was performed by using the chi-square test and the intensity of the risk was determined by OR, with a confidence interval of 95% and with a level of significance with p <0.05. Results: The results demonstrate the statistical relationship between hypernatremia and non-exclusive breastfeeding (OR 2.41 CI 1.27-4.59 p 0.006), weight loss higher than 10% in neonates (OR 3.91; CI 2, 2–6.9 p <0.001) and use of phototherapy (OR 0.22 IC 0.14–0.37 p <0.001). No relationship was found with birth weight, out-of-hospital birth, and the type of delivery. Conclusions: The risk factors identified for presenting hypernatremic dehydration are non-exclusive breastfeeding and weight loss higher than 10% while the use of phototherapy indicated a protective association on hypernatremic dehydration.