Electrolyte disturbance profiles and associated factors in Somali patients with heart failure.

Q: What are the key findings of this study?

Electrolyte disturbances are highly prevalent among Somali heart failure patients, with hyponatremia occurring in 38.5% of the cohort.

Q: What is the clinical evidence from this study?

Study design: Cross-Sectional. Population: Heart failure (n=369). Intervention: Electrolyte disturbances. Primary outcome: Prevalence of hyponatremia.

Q: What does this research mean for the field?

Electrolyte disturbances, particularly hyponatremia and hypokalemia, are highly prevalent among adult heart failure patients in Somalia. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

Said Abdirahman Ahmed; Abdullahi Mohamed Hassan Fujeyra; Isaak Mohamed Osman; Ahmed Shafie Aden; Mohamed Omar Hassan; Ahmed Elmi Abdi; Mohamud Mire Waberi; Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamud; Yahye Abukar Sabrie; Mohamed Sheikh Hassan; Rahma Yusuf Haji Mohamud; Abdijalil Abdullahi Ali; Ishak Ahmed Abdi; Abdinafic Mohamud Hussein; Usama Hassan Hussein; Kowthar Ismail Hashi; Ali Jimale Mohamed; Mehmet Zafer Aydın; Feyza Aksu; Osman Farah Dahir

doi:10.1097/ms9.0000000000005364

Key result

Hyponatremia affects ~39% of Somali heart failure patients amid high overall electrolyte disturbance rates.

n=369

Figures

Why the study?

Electrolyte disturbances are frequent yet under-monitored complications of heart failure, and data from Somalia remain scarce despite the growing HF burden.

Key Points

To determine the prevalence, severity profiles, and associated clinical factors of electrolyte disturbances among hospitalized Somali patients with heart failure.
Retrospective cross-sectional study of 369 adult heart failure patients admitted to Mogadishu Somali-Turkish Training and Research Hospital between January 2023 and January 2025.
Serum electrolytes were classified using standard cut-offs (hyponatremia: Na <135 mmol/L, hypokalemia: K <3.5 mmol/L, hypomagnesemia: Mg <1.7 mmol/L) and analyzed using Chi-square and Pearson correlation tests.
Hyponatremia occurred in 142 of 369 patients (38.5%), hypokalemia in 63 patients (17.1%), and hypomagnesemia in 60 patients (16.3%).
Severe depletion was observed in 26.8% of hyponatremic patients, whereas hypokalemia was primarily mild (73.0%) and hypomagnesemia was mild (48.3%) to moderate (43.3%).
Calcium-channel blocker use was significantly associated with hypomagnesemia (P = 0.006), whereas Pearson correlations between electrolyte levels and age or ejection fraction were minor (|r| ≤ 0.14).

Study Design

Type

Cross-Sectional (n=369)

Multicenter

No

Structured PICO

P

Population

369 adult patients with heart failure admitted to a single tertiary hospital in Somalia.

O

Outcome

Prevalence of electrolyte disturbances (hyponatremia <135 mmol/L, hypokalemia <3.5 mmol/L, and hypomagnesemia <1.7 mmol/L)surrogate

Electrolyte disturbances, particularly hyponatremia, are highly prevalent among hospitalized heart failure patients in Somalia, underscoring the urgent need for enhanced routine laboratory monitoring in resource-limited settings.

Limitations

Retrospective design limits the ability to establish causal relationships
Incomplete laboratory records may have led to an underestimation of true prevalence
Magnesium testing was not consistently performed
Important confounding variables like diuretic dosage and renal function were not consistently available
Single-center design limits generalizability
Magnesium, chloride, and calcium testing not consistently performed due to laboratory limitations
Important confounding variables (diuretic dosage, renal function markers, nutritional status) not consistently available
Single-center design limits generalizability to the broader Somali population

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Implication

High prevalence supports monitoring in Somali HF patients; extends data to African cohorts but requires prospective validation.

Abstract

Background: Electrolyte disturbances are frequent yet under-monitored complications of heart failure (HF), contributing to arrhythmias, prolonged hospitalization, and increased mortality. Data from Somalia remain scarce, despite the growing HF burden. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted among 369 adult HF patients admitted to Mogadishu Somali-Turkish Training and Research Hospital between January 2023 and January 2025. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics v29. Electrolyte disturbances were classified by standard cut-offs, and associations with clinical variables were tested using Chi-square and Pearson correlation analyses. Results: | ≤ 0.14). Conclusion: Electrolyte disturbances - particularly hyponatremia and hypokalemia - are highly prevalent among Somali HF patients. These findings highlight the need for improved electrolyte monitoring in HF management in low-resource settings. Strengthening electrolyte monitoring and improving diagnostic capacity are essential for optimizing HF management in low-resource settings.

Discussion

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Cite This Study

Ahmed et al. (2026) conducted a cross-sectional in Heart failure (n=369). Electrolyte disturbances was evaluated on Prevalence of hyponatremia. Electrolyte disturbances are highly prevalent among Somali heart failure patients, with hyponatremia occurring in 38.5% of the cohort.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6ad0b8f43983294737c0c519 https://doi.org/10.1097/ms9.0000000000005364

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Electrolyte disturbance profiles and associated factors in Somali patients with heart failure.

Figures

Key Points

Study Design

Structured PICO

Limitations

Ask about this paper

Implication

Abstract

Discussion

Cite This Study

Electrolyte disturbance profiles and associated factors in Somali patients with heart failure.

Figures

Key Points

Study Design

Structured PICO

Limitations

Ask about this paper

Implication

Abstract

Discussion

Cite This Study

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