refeeding syndrome

A 55-year-old woman with a history of excess alcohol intake presented to the acute medical unit following concerns regarding her electrolyte disturbances. During correction of the electrolytes, the patient developed central pontine myelinolysis. The unusual features in the case were the absence of hyponatraemia which is usually associated with central pontine myelinolysis and also the good recovery that the patient made. Looking at the electrolyte changes, we suspect there may be a link to the rapid osmotic shifts occurring during refeeding and central pontine myelinolysis.