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Labs

The phosphate that fell after breakfast

advanced

A 34-year-old admitted severely malnourished after months of restrictive eating. Feeding started yesterday at full calculated calories. Today he is weak, breathless, and his ankles have begun to swell.

Results · trended

TestAdmissionDay 2, after feedingTrendReference
PO40.920.31L0.8–1.45 mmol/L
K3.82.9L3.5–5 mmol/L
Mg0.740.52L0.7–1 mmol/L
Glu4.17.84–7.8 mmol/L
Na137134L135–145 mmol/L

Phosphate 0.92 to 0.31 within a day of feeding. What happened?