PPD 与真实病率和死亡率以及升高的医疗费用有关联。PPD 在6% 至 20% 的精神病患者中出现,[9]Jose CJ, Perez-Cruet J. Incidence and morbidity of self-induced water intoxication in state mental hospital patients. Am J Psychiatry. 1979;136:221-222.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/760555?tool=bestpractice.com[10]Blum A, Tempey FW, Lynch WJ. Somatic findings in patients with psychogenic polydipsia. J Clin Psychiatry. 1983;44:55-56.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6826531?tool=bestpractice.comPPD 在精神分裂症、发育障碍以及中年女性焦虑障碍患者中很常见。[1]Verghese C, De Leon J, Josiassen RC. Problems and progress in the diagnosis and treatment of polydipsia and hyponatremia. Schizophr Bull. 1996;22:455-464.http://schizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/22/3/455http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8873296?tool=bestpractice.com[2]de Leon J. Polydipsia: a study in a long-term psychiatric unit. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2003;253:37-39.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12664312?tool=bestpractice.com[3]Illowsky BP, Kirch DG. Polydipsia and hyponatremia in psychiatric patients. Am J Psychiatry. 1988;145:675-683.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3285701?tool=bestpractice.com
总体而言,在 10% 至 20% 精神分裂症患者身上观察到了 PPD,但这些患者中仅有 2% 至 5% 出现了低钠血症。[11]de Leon J, Verghese C, Tracy JI, et al. Polydipsia and water intoxication in psychiatric patients: a review of the epidemiological literature. Biol Psychiatry. 1994;35:408-419.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8018788?tool=bestpractice.com[12]Gleadhill IC, Smith TA, Yium JJ. Hyponatremia in patients with schizophrenia. South Med J. 1982;75:426-428.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6122272?tool=bestpractice.com情感障碍、神经性厌食症和人格障碍也与 PPD 有关联。此外,还在发育障碍患者(包括自闭症和 Kleine-Levin 综合征)身上观察到 PPD。一项纳入 877 位住院精神疾病患者的调查显示患病率为 3.5%。[13]Bremner AJ, Regan A. Intoxicated by water: polydipsia and water intoxication in a mental handicap hospital. Br J Psychiatry. 1991;158:244-250.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2012917?tool=bestpractice.com另一项纳入 371 位住院发育障碍患者的研究发现患病率为 6.2%。[14]Deb S, Bramble D, Drybala G, et al. Polydipsia amongst adults with a learning disability in an institution. J Intellect Disabil Res. 1994;38:359-367.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7949788?tool=bestpractice.com
某些研究显示女性 PPD 的患病率更高。烦渴影响所有人种。
低钠血症在医院环境中很常见,患病率为 1% 至 2%。[15]Fraser CL, Arieff AI. Epidemiology, pathophysiology, and management of hyponatremic encephalopathy. Am J Med. 1997;102:67-77.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9209203?tool=bestpractice.com低钠血症在患有更严重的并发症(心血管、肾脏和肝功能障碍)的老年患者中更常见。