Comment briefly on the statement: "lsotonic saline is an inappropriate fluid to use in the management of the patient with diabetic ketoacidosis".
As with any drug/fluid there are problems associated with the use of normal saline as the sole fluid to resuscitate the extracellular fluid deficit of DKA. Diabetic ketoacidosis is associated with a number of metabolic disturbances, but most of the acute clinical problems are due to a lack of insulin (hyperglycaemia, ketone body formation) and resultant osmotic diuresis (severe volume depletion [loss of water and sodium], total body electrolyte depletion [eg. K, Mg, PO.], lactic acidosis. renal insufficiency). The major contributors to the initial metabolic acidosis are the presence of ketone bodies (increased anion gap), lactic acidosis (increased anion gap), and hyperchloraemia (normal anion gap). The first two of these will be adequately treated by intravascular volume expansion and administration of exogenous insulin. Administration of isotonic saline (0.9% sodium chloride) may result in delayed correction of bicarbonate (ie. persistence of metabolic acidosis), now due predominantly to hyperchloraemia (normal anion gap).
Delayed correction of bicarbonate:
• may increase the time that the patient will need to be monitored closely (potentially confusing assessment patient response to treatment)
• increases the minute ventilation (and work of breathing) required to maintain steady state
(lower col for a given pH)
• increases the temptation to administer exogenous bicarbonate (with associated risks of hypokalaemia, hypophosphataemia, hypematraemia etc.)
Alternative crystalloid solutions are available (eg. hartrnannslringers lactate/plasmalyte/hypotonic saline) and should be considered early in the fluid resuscitation of these patients. Choice of fluid should be based on the response of the patient to therapy (ie. ongoing, repeated assessment of Na [corrected for glucose], K, HC03 and Chloride).
One cannot simply "comment briefly" on such a statement as this.
One must critically evaluate it.
Rationale for discussion
Physiological basis for the statement
Advantages
Disadvantages
Evidence and opinion in the literature
In summary:
Dhatariya, Ketan K. "Diabetic ketoacidosis." BMJ: British Medical Journal334.7607 (2007): 1284.
LeRoith D, Taylor SI, Olefsky JM. Diabetes mellitus. A fundamental and clinical text. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, 2000
Skellett, S., et al. "Chasing the base deficit: hyperchloraemic acidosis following 0.9% saline fluid resuscitation." Archives of disease in childhood 83.6 (2000): 514-516.
Kitabchi, Abbas E., et al. "Hyperglycemic crises in adult patients with diabetes a consensus statement from the American Diabetes Association." Diabetes care 29.12 (2006): 2739-2748.
Chua, Horng-Ruey, et al. "Plasma-Lyte 148 vs 0.9% saline for fluid resuscitation in diabetic ketoacidosis." Journal of critical care 27.2 (2012): 138-145.
Van Zyl, Danie G., Paul Rheeder, and E. Delport. "Fluid management in diabetic-acidosis—Ringer's lactate versus normal saline: a randomized controlled trial." Qjm 105.4 (2012): 337-343.