Antemortem diagnosis of central pontine myelinolysis--report of a case.

A 64-year-old hypertensive woman with hyponatremia due to acute gastroenteritis and the use of diuretics developed dysarthria, dysphagia, and quadriparesis 4 days after rapid correction of hyponatremia. The clinical course, electrodiagnosis (blink reflex) and cranial computed tomographic findings are compatible with an antemortem diagnosis of central pontine myelinolysis (CPM). CPM can be prevented by cautious correction of hyponatremia. Spontaneous recovery in this case contrasts sharply to the poor outcome in previously reported cases of CPM.