Electrolyte disturbances due to ouabain sensitive sodium potassium pump in erythrocytes of children with sepsis.

The possible mechanism of hyponatraemia in septicaemic children was studied by measuring the intracellular red cell sodium in relation to ouabain sensitive Na(+)-K(+) pump by flame photometry. Hyponatraemia and hyperkalaemia were observed in most of the patients. There was a marked elevation in serum sodium levels and a significant reduction in serum potassium levels on recovery following therapy. The alteration in the distribution of electrolytes between plasma and erythrocytes resulted in significantly high levels of sodium and low levels of potassium within the erythrocytes of septicaemic patients which normalized on recovery. The ouabain sensitive sodium efflux rate and ouabain sensitive efflux rate constant were significantly decreased in the membranes of erythrocytes of septicaemic patients which also normalized on recovery. Our findings suggest that it is the intrinsic alterations in the transport capacity of Na(+)-K+ pump which could account for the rise in intracellular erythrocyte sodium and fall in intracellular potassium contents in septicaemic children.