Is intensive care unit-acquired hypernatremia an independent predictor of increased mortality and length of stay?
Hypernatremia developed following ICU admission in 4.3% of patients. Hypernatremia was independently associated with a 40% increase in risk for hospital mortality and a 28% increase in ICU LOS. Severity, but not duration of ICU-acquired hypernatremia was associated with hospital mortality.
These results suggest that RLPs transactivate EGF receptor via PKC and HB-EGF shedding from SMCs, resulting in SMC proliferation.