Which of the following could contribute to false hyponatremia readings?

False hyponatremia occurs when the serum sodium concentration appears lower than it truly is, typically due to the presence of other substances that interfere with the measurement of sodium levels. Hyperglycemia is one of those factors that can lead to false readings.

In cases of hyperglycemia, particularly when blood glucose levels are significantly elevated, the osmolality of the serum increases. This process leads to a dilution effect on the serum sodium level, causing the laboratory measurement to report a lower sodium concentration than the actual physiological sodium status in the body. When calculating adjusted sodium levels for glucose levels, healthcare providers can recognize this discrepancy, but if uncorrected, the high glucose can lead to a misleading diagnosis of hyponatremia.

To contrast, hypoalbuminemia, dehydration, and excessive potassium levels do not directly cause false readings in sodium concentration in the same manner. While hypoalbuminemia can affect osmotic balance and fluid distribution, it does not typically lead to a false hyponatremia reading like hyperglycemia does. Dehydration can result in true hyponatremia by decreasing plasma volume but does not artificially lower sodium levels in a measured context. Likewise, elevated potassium levels influence potassium readings rather than having a direct