A 9-Day-Old With Weight Loss and Diarrhea
Prabi Rajbhandari1,2, Chetan Mandelia2, Halima S Janjua2
1Akron Children's Hospital, Akron, Ohio; and prajbhandari@chmca.org.
Insights
This case study details a 9-day-old infant with severe hypernatremia, hyperkalemia, and acute kidney injury. The infant presented with diarrhea and weight loss, highlighting a rare pediatric presentation.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nephrology
- Neonatal Intensive Care
- Clinical Case Study
Background:
- A 9-day-old infant presented with significant weight loss and watery diarrhea.
- Family history was notable for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
Observation:
- Infant experienced nonmucoid watery stools 5-15 times daily.
- Initial assessment revealed normal vital signs and physical examination.
- Laboratory findings included hypernatremia, hyperkalemia, metabolic acidosis, and acute kidney injury.
Findings:
- Hypernatremia was resistant to standard fluid management strategies.
- The clinical presentation suggested a complex electrolyte and renal disorder in a neonate.
Implications:
- This case underscores the importance of considering rare diagnoses in neonates with severe electrolyte disturbances.
- Early recognition and management are crucial for improving outcomes in infants with similar presentations.
- Further investigation into the underlying etiology of the infant's condition is warranted.
Abstract:
A 9-day-old infant girl presented with diarrhea and weight loss of 19% since birth. She was born via spontaneous vaginal delivery at 39 weeks' gestation to a mother positive for group B Streptococcus who received adequate intrapartum prophylaxis. The infant was formula-fed every 2 to 3 hours with no reported issues with feeding or swallowing. The infant had nonmucoid watery stools ∼5 to 15 times per day. Her family history was significant for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in several of her family members. Her initial vital signs and physical examination were normal. Laboratory data on hospital admission showed a normal complete blood cell count, but her chemistry analysis revealed significant hypernatremia, hyperkalemia, metabolic acidosis, and acute kidney injury. Her hypernatremia was resistant to fluid management. In this article, we discuss the infant's hospital course, our clinical thought process, and how we arrived at our final diagnosis.
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