Patterns of Electrolyte Excretion in Edema Loss without the Use of Diuretics

Abstract

Sodium, potassium, chloride, and water losses were studied in patients while they lost all of their edema. The fluid which was excreted was hypotonic to body fluids, but did not change the osmotic concentration of the fluid that remained. Since the fluid excreted did not have the same composition as the edema fluid in the body, the interpretation of the results is that there is an internal redistribution and osmotic inactivation of a portion of the ions of the edema fluid of the body, and that the kidney is not the sole mechanism involved in the formation or loss of edema. Relating sodium loss to weight loss revealed two patterns; one group lost approximately 100 mEq. of sodium per kilogram of weight loss, and the other group lost less than 50 mEq. of sodium per kilogram. There is an indication that this difference is related to liver function.