A Rare Case of Inadvertent Iatrogenic Osmotic Demyelination Syndrome

A 73-year-old African American male presented with altered mental status, severe hyperglycemia, and acute kidney injury. His metabolic derangements including hyperglycemia and hyponatremia were initially thought to be the cause of his encephalopathy. While managing his hyperglycemic hyperosmolar non-ketotic state, he received intravenous rehydration with almost three times his physiologic requirement for normalization of his electrolyte abnormalities. After the correction of the metabolic derangements, he remained confused with dysarthria and labile mood. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed osmotic demyelination syndrome.