Paroxetine-induced hyponatremia in the elderly due to the syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (SIADH)

What Was Tested

The paper reports a study of Vasopressin, published as a clinical trial.

This study investigated the development of hyponatremia and its underlying mechanism in elderly patients prescribed paroxetine.

Patients were 15 men and women (mean age, 75.7 +/- 5.3 years) who were participants in a treatment study of late-life depression and who were without medical illness or other medications known to cause hyponatremia or alter antidiuretic hormone (ADH) secretion.

Who Took Part

According to the abstract, 15 men were involved.

The age groups tagged for this paper are older adults, both men and women.

How the Study Was Run

The design is described as pilot.

It is described as a pilot, a small early test of whether a larger Vasopressin study would be practical.

A time span of 2 weeks appears in the methods.

What Was Measured

Blood samples for measurement of plasma sodium, ADH, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, glucose, and osmolality were determined prior to initiation of paroxetine (week 0) and at 2, 4, 6, and 12 weeks of treatment with paroxetine.

The subject headings attached to it are Major Depressive Disorder, Hyponatremia, Inappropriate ADH Syndrome, Osmolar Concentration, Paroxetine, Pilot Projects and Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a pilot study of Vasopressin in 15 men over 2 weeks.

With fewer than 40 people, it is a small study, so it is better read as an early signal for further research than as a settled answer.

The publication is from 2003 (Journal of geriatric psychiatry and neurology), a journal based in United States.

More context: the Vasopressin compound page, all human trials.