Fluctuation of Na and K Concentration in Serum and Saliva in the Course of EkiriI, II and III Reports

Abstract

A series of “Ekiri” cases was investigated on the attitude of the vegetative nervous system, based on the idea, that a disturbance of the system might be involved in the essential aspect of the disease, particularly the mechanism of it's initial development, utilizing the results of preliminary study by our co-workers concerning the relationship between the vegetative nervous system and Na and K concentration in saliva.
1. Regarding the serum concentration, Na increased in the height of the disease in a recognizable grade, while K tended to fall slightly or to remain in a normal range, so that Na/K ratio resulted in a slight increase in contrast with dysentery cases. However, because of the buffer activity of serum, as is well known, no definite conclusion could be drawn from the analysis.
2. From this reason, day-fluctuation of Na and K was then followed up with saliva. A fall of Na/K ratio, resulting from an enormous concentration of K, was cnaracteristic of acute stage of “Ekiri” and dysentery, indicating a preponderance of the sympathic nervous system.
3. In order to confirm these results, the influence of subcutaneous injection of pilocarpin on Na and K concentration in saliva was investigated in the acute and convalescent stage. The conspicuous initial rise of Na and K in saliva, common in healthy persons, was hardly recognized in the acute stage of “Ekiri”. It might be concluded that “Ekiri” patients were unresponsive to parasympatic stimulation. On the other hand, consulting the results of study on the influence of adrenalin on eosinophilic leukocytes in peripheral blood stream performed by our co-workers, it was confirmed that the acute stage of “Ekiri” represented a hypertensive state of the sympathic nervous system.