Can osmotic demyelination syndrome be a complication of liver failure?

Abstract

This case demonstrates that osmotic demyelination syndrome (ODS) can occur in absence of hyponatremia in patients with fulminant liver failure and markedly high bilirubin levels. Extremely high bilirubin levels, such as >900 μmol/L in the case presented here, may lead to blood brain barrier dysfunction by disrupting blood vessel endothelial cell function as well as increase the release of inflammatory cytokines. As demonstrated in the case here, even small fluctuations in electrolytes may make the brain increasingly more vulnerable to ODS. Clinicians should keep ODS high on their differential even in eunatremic patients with liver failure who have decreased levels of consciousness or coma. Keywords: Osmotic demyelination syndrome, Liver failure, Bilirubin, Eunatremia, Coma