Vol. 9, Issue 4, Part A (2025)

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Electrolyte disturbances, particularly hyponatremia, are frequent complications that can exacerbate cerebral edema, intracranial hypertension, and poor outcomes. Although hyponatremia has been widely investigated in neurosurgical settings, limited evidence exists regarding its relationship with TBI severity in Indonesian populations. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the association between the degree of hyponatremia and TBI severity among patients undergoing conservative management at Dr. M. Djamil General Hospital, Padang, Indonesia. Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted between January 2023 and January 2025. A total of 112 patients with TBI complicated by hyponatremia who received conservative management were included. Patients with multiple fractures, major comorbidities, inoperable injuries, or those requiring surgical intervention were excluded. Data were analyzed using chi-square tests to assess the association between hyponatremia severity (mild, moderate, severe) and TBI severity (mild, moderate, severe) based on the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). Results: The mean age of participants was 46.7±17.9 years, with a predominance of male patients (74.1%). Mild hyponatremia was most common (83.9%). Among patients with severe hyponatremia, 16.7% presented with severe TBI and 83.3% with moderate TBI. In the moderate hyponatremia group, 41.7% had severe TBI, 25% moderate TBI, and 33.3% mild TBI. In the mild hyponatremia group, 20.2% had severe TBI, 63.8% moderate TBI, and 16% mild TBI. No statistically significant association was observed between the degree of hyponatremia and TBI severity (p = 0.392). Conclusion: This study suggests that the degree of hyponatremia is not significantly associated with TBI severity in patients undergoing conservative management. However, the high prevalence of hyponatremia underscores the importance of early detection and appropriate correction strategies to prevent poor neurological outcomes. Future multicenter studies with larger sample sizes are warranted.