Electrolyte disorders and associted factors among cancer patients admitted in jimma medical center (jmc), southwest Ethiopia.

Abstract

Background: Even though electrolyte disorders in cancer patients can lead to life-threatening complications, usually there is less emphasis for screening of electrolyte disorders in routine cancer cares and managements. Despite electrolyte disorders cause significant role in increasing morbidity and mortality, the prevalence and associated factors in cancer patients are unknown in Jimma. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the prevalence of electrolyte disorders and associated factors among cancer patients in Jimma Medical Center (JMC), Southwest Ethiopia. Methods: Facility based cross sectional study was conducted in JMC from April 01 to May30 2019. Eight four (84) patients, with confirmed diagnosis of cancer by the physicians and admitted in JMC during the study period were selected for this study. A structured questionnaire was used for collecting data relating with socio-demographic characteristics, nutritional status, substance use, comorbidities and prescribed medication. Five ml of blood was drawn from cancer patients, and then centrifuged at a speed of 3000 rpm for 5 minutes. The level of serum electrolytes (Na+ , K+ , Ca2+, and Cl- ) were measured by using Huma Lyte plus5 ion-selective electrolyte analyzer. Epi Data Version 4.1 and SPSS Version 22 used for data entry and statistical analysis respectively. Bivariate and multiple logistic regression were employed to determine association, P value ≤ 0.05 was considered as a statistically significant Result: The overall prevalence of electrolyte disorders was 60.7%. The most pronounced alteration occurred in serum level of Na+ (derangements could be in increasing or decreasing pattern) (47.6%) followed by potassium (31%), then chloride and calcium 22.6% each. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the presence or absence of comorbid diseases, age, BMI, nutritional status and current prescribed medication use were associated with electrolyte disorders .Younger patients had lower odds for electrolyte disorders, OR=0.128 [P value=0.05] and OR=0.08 [P value=0.033] for the first and the second quartile respectively. Underweight patients had closer to three-fold likelihood to develop electrolyte disorders OR=3.13 [P value=0.043] than having normal BMI. Compared with those in need of nutritional intervention, patients not in need of nutritional intervention had the lower odds for the disorders OR=0.109 [P value=0.006]. Medication had increased the likelihood of electrolyte disorders by 5.5 times than with no medication p value=0.023. Those who had comorbid disease had 10 times likelihood to develop electrolyte disorders than those who didn’t have comorbid diseases p value=0.004. Patient characteristics like sex, marital status, educational status and occupation had no significant association with electrolyte disorders. Conclusion: Electrolyte disorders were prevalent in cancer patients. Age, BMI, nutritional condition, comorbid disease and prescribed drugs were the predictors of electrolyte disorders in cancer patients. The authors recommend as routine screening of electrolytes disorders and special emphasis in controlling and managing risk factors.