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. 2022 Mar 16;15(6):1196–1201. doi: 10.1093/ckj/sfac072

Table 1.

Representative results from Google searches. A search for ‘death AND water AND drink’ was combined with additional reports from news sites. Cases 1–5 are most compatible with the concept of HAWLAH

Case Age (years)/sex Year Circumstances Fluid Volume drunk (L)/time (h) Estimated volume drunk in 20 min (L) Natremia (mmol/L) Symptoms/outcome
1 (present case) [6] 45/M 2013 Beer drinking competition Beer 6/0.33 6 Unknown Vomiting, coma, death within 90 min
2 [23] 5/F 2014 Punishment Grape soda and water 2.4/1–2 0.4–0.8 Unknown Vomiting, convulsion, death
3 [23] 12/F 2012 ‘Water poker’ game Water 6/ND ND Unknown Vomiting, death
4 [25, 26] 28/F 2007 Water-drinking radio station contest Water 7.6/ > 3 0.85 Unknown Severe headache/found dead a few hours later
5 [27] 40/F 2008 Dietinga Water 4/2 0.67 Unknown Headache, death in hospital within 24 h
6 [28] 44/M 2008 Relieve of gum troubleb Water 10/8 0.42 115 Vomiting, unsteady gait, death within 24 h
7 [29, 30] 21/M 2005 University hazingc Water 19/6 1.05 Unknown Vomiting, seizure, death within 24 h

M: male; F: female; ND: no data.

a500 calories a day dieting for 1 week may have decreased urinary solute excretion.

bHad been drinking similar daily amounts for the past 48 h, may have decreased urinary solute excretion.