Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dk4vv Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-25T19:20:25.603Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Polydipsia and water intoxication in 353 psychiatric inpatients: an epidemiological and psychopathological study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 April 2020

E. Mercier-Guidez  and
G. Loas
E. Mercier-Guidez*
Affiliation:
University Department of Psychiatry, Hospital Philippe Pinel,80044Amiens cedex 01, France
G. Loas
Affiliation:
University Department of Psychiatry, Hospital Philippe Pinel,80044Amiens cedex 01, France
*
*Correspondence and reprints
Get access

Abstract

Introduction

According to several authors, water intoxication can lead to irreversible brain damage and could be the cause of nearly a fifth of the deaths of schizophrenic patients below the age of 53 years. The aim of our study was first to determine the prevalence of polydipsia and water intoxication in a population of psychiatric inpatients of a well-defined French geographic area (the Somme), and secondly to determine the clinical and socio-demographic factors associated with this disorder.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was done on the 450 psychiatric beds whose catchment area had a total population of 559,429 inhabitants. Using staff reports and patients’ charts, the drinking habits of 353 psychiatric inpatients hospitalised during the survey in the 450 psychiatric beds of this area were examined.

Results

Thirty-eight patients (10.76%; 95% confidence interval: 7.53–13.99%) among the 353 inpatients were polydipsic. About one-third of these patients were at risk of water intoxication. Polydipsia appeared to be significantly associated with male gender, smoking, celibacy and chronicity. The polydipsic patients presented also a high prevalence of schizophrenia, mental retardation, pervasive developmental disorders and high frequency of somatic disorders.

Keywords

epidemiologypolydipsiapsychogenic polydipsiapsychosisschizophreniawater intoxication
Type
Original Article
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 15 , Issue 5 , August 2000 , pp. 306 - 311
Copyright
Copyright © Éditions scientifiques et médicales Elsevier SAS 2000

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Blum, ATempey, F.WLynch, W.JSomatic findings in patients with psychogenic polydipsia J Clin Psychiatry 44 1983 55–56Google ScholarPubMed
Bremner, ARegan, APolydipsia and water intoxication in a mental handicap hospital Br J Psychiatry 158 1991 244–250CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chong, S.ATan, L.LWong, M.CTan, C.HNg, L.LDisordered water homeostasis in Asian patients with schizophrenia Aust N Z J Psychiatry 31 1997 869–873CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
De Leon, JVerghese, CTracy, J.IJosiassen, R.CSimpson, G.MPolydipsia and water intoxication in psychiatric patients: a review of the epidemiological literature Biol Psychiatry 35 1994 408–419CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
De Leon, JDadvand, MCanuso, COdom-White, AStanilla, JSimpson, G.MPolydipsia and water intoxication in a long-term psychiatric hospital Biol Psychiatry 40 1996 28–34CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Evenson, R.CJos, C.JMallya, A.RPrevalence of polydipsia among public psychiatric patients Psychol Rep. 60 1987 803–807CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Illowski, B.PKirch, D.GPolydipsia and hyponatremia in psychiatric patients Am J Psychiatry 145 1988 675–683Google Scholar
Jose, C.JPerez-Cruet, JIncidence and morbidity of self-induced water intoxication in state mental hospital patients Am J Psychiatry 136 1979 221–222Google ScholarPubMed
Okura, MMorii, SPolydipsia, polyuria and water intoxication observed in psychiatric inpatients Tokushima J Exp M 33 1986 1–5Google ScholarPubMed
Vieweg, W.V.RDavid, J.JRowne, W.TWampler, G.JBurns, W.JSpradlin, W.WDeath from self-induced water intoxication among patients with schizophrenic disorders J Nerv Ment Dis. 173 1985 161–165CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Vieweg, W.V.RDavid, J.JGlick, J.LRowe, W.TCurnow, R.TLawrence, M.Det al. Polyuria among patients with psychosis Schizophr Bull 12 1986 739–743CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Vieweg, W.V.RGodleski, L.SGraham, PAbnormal diurnal weight gain among long-term patients with schizophrenic disorders Schizophr Res. 1 1988 67–71CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Vieweg, W.V.RPandurangi, ALevenson, JSilverman, JThe consulting psychiatrist and the polydipsia-hyponatremia syndrome in schizophrenia Int J Psychiatry M 24 1994 275–303CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Submit a response

Comments

No Comments have been published for this article.