Hyperkalaemia: it was fairly common in diabetes.

Clinical bottom line (level 4)

  1. Hyperkalaemia was relatively common in patients with diabetes, though few had levels greater than 6.0 mmol/L.
Jarman et al: Postgraduate Medical Journal 1995; 71: 551-522
Expires February 2004

The study

Outcome study with objective outcomes, not adjusted for confounding factors, not validated in an independent set of patients.

Setting: diabetic clinic, acute hospital, UK

1764 patients (aged ?, ?% male) diabetes mellitus who attended the clinic over one year



Outcomes studied:
  • potassium level >5.0 mmol/L
  • potassium level >5.4 mmol/L
  • potassium level >5.6 mmol/L
  • potassium level >6.0 mmol/L

    • The evidence

    outcome time to outcome number of patients/total number %
    (95% CI)
    potassium level >5.0 mmol/L ? 270/1764 15.3%
    (13.6% to 17.0%)
    potassium level >5.4 mmol/L ? 67/1764 3.80%
    (2.91% to 4.69%)
    potassium level >5.6 mmol/L ? 26/1764 1.47%
    (0.91% to 2.04%)
    potassium level >6.0 mmol/L ? 6/1764 0.34%
    (0.07% to 0.61%)

    Comments

    1. No indication as to whether haemolysed samples were excluded, or if blood tests were repeated.
    2. Many patients were on ACE inhibitors or potassium-sparing drugs.

    Citation

    1. Jarman PR, Kehely AM, Mather HM: Hyperkalaemia in diabetes: prevalence and associations. Postgraduate Medical Journal 1995; 71: 551-522
    Contributor: Chris Ball and Clare Wotton, February 2000
    Reviewer:

    Clinical Question.
    Patient diabetics
    Intervention or Exposure prevalence
    Outcome hyperkalaemia