The Netherlands journal of medicine
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Hyponatraemia due to the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) can pose a therapeutic challenge. After fluid restriction, urea is recommended as a second-line treatment by Dutch and European treatment guidelines. Data on this practice are still scarce. We introduced urea for the treatment of SIADH in our hospital and prospectively collected data on its effectiveness and tolerability. ⋯ Our data show that urea is an effective treatment for hospitalised patients with SIADH. Distaste was a frequent side effect, but usually did not lead to early treatment discontinuation.
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Anaemia is a common diagnosis for clinicians. This mini-review summarises criteria for diagnosing the cause of anaemia. Within the microcytic anaemias, iron-deficient anaemia is most common. ⋯ A normocytic anaemia, such as anaemia of chronic disease, is a diagnosis of exclusion. A macrocytic anaemia scheme is provided and differentiates based on reticulocyte count. We aim to provide the readers a clear overview of anaemia and when to refer to haematologists.