Study headed by Greek scientist and IASO associate on the levels of sodium in COVID-19 patients is gaining international attention
A groundbreaking research study headed by Ploutarchos Tzoulis, Endocrinologist / Diabetes Specialist, Honorary Associate Professor of Endocrinology at University College London (UCL) Medical School and IASO Associate, is extremely important, revealing for the first time the value of sodium levels as a predictive marker in COVID-19 patients.
The study findings are gaining international attention following the press release issued by the Endocrine Society for the article “Dysnatremia is a predictor for morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients with COVID-19″, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, one of the leading international medical journals in the field of Endocrinology.
Ploutarchos Tzoulis and his team concluded that the sodium levels in blood may predict which patients may develop respiratory failure or die. Specifically, according to the study, patients with low sodium levels are twice as likely to need intubation and mechanical breathing support compared to those with normal sodium. The second significant finding is that COVID-19 patients who develop high sodium levels at any time during their hospital stay are three times more likely to die than those who have normal sodium levels.
The study findings may have a direct impact on patient care, assisting doctors in making clinical decisions in everyday clinical practice. Additionally, these findings pave the way for possible new uses of sodium levels through routine blood work, aiming to provide individualized treatment to patients with COVID-19.
This observational study included 488 adults with COVID-19 admitted to two London hospitals, UCL Hospital and Whittington Hospital, over an eight-week period in 2020.
Ploutarchos Tzoulis, MD, PhD, FRCP (UK), MSc (Hons), CCT (UK), is an Honorary Associate Professor of Endocrinology at University College London (UCL) Medical School. He is an Endocrinologist / Diabetes Specialist and has been a Consultant at the Endocrinology, Diabetes and Internal Medicine Department, Whittington Hospital, London, since 2015. Since 2018 he has been continuing his research work in London, while also working in Athens, offering top medical services as an associate of the IASO Maternity & Gynecology Hospital.
