Tianjin Medical Journal ›› 2024, Vol. 52 ›› Issue (8): 840-844.doi: 10.11958/20231765

• Clinical Research • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Clinical research of the correlation between hyperkalemia and adverse outcome events in elderly patients with maintenance hemodialysis

ZHANG Xiyou(), GUO Yidan, ZHANG Chunxia, ZHOU Xiaoling, JIA Meng, SHI Zhihua, LUO Yang()   

  1. Department of Nephrology, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100038, China
  • Received:2023-11-29 Revised:2024-01-10 Published:2024-08-15 Online:2024-08-16
  • Contact: E-mail:luoy@bjsjth.cn

Abstract:

Objective To explore the relationship between hyperkalemia and adverse outcomes in elderly maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients. Methods A retrospective cohort trial was conducted on 177 MHD patients aged ≥60 years in the hemodialysis center of Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University. Baseline data were collected. The mean age was (77.28±14.25) years, among them 109 cases were males (61.6%). According to the peak serum potassium within 4 months, patients were divided into the K+<5.0 mmol/L group (38 cases, 21.5%), the 5.0-5.5 mmol/L group (42 cases, 23.7%) and the K+≥5.5 mmol/L group (97 cases, 54.8%). Based on the frequency of hyperkalemia within 4 months, patients were divided into the 0, 1-2 and 3-4 frequency groups. All of patients were followed up for 1 year. The end point events were all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to compare the cumulative survival rate between the 3 groups. A multivariate Cox regression model was employed to analyze the relationship between the degree and frequency of hyperkalemia with all-cause and CVD mortality. Results The mean follow-up time of 177 patients was 12 (1-12) months, 20 (11.3%) patients died of all-cause death and 14 (7.9%) of CVD death. Kaplan Meier survival curve showed cardiovascular mortality rate and all-cause mortality were significantly increased in the K+ 5.0-5.5 mmol/L group and the K+≥5.5 mmol/L group (both P<0.05). Multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that, as a continuous variable, peak potassium levels were independently associated with an increased risk of all-cause death and CVD death (P<0.001). As a categorical variable, the all-cause mortality risk and CVD mortality risk were significantly higher in both the K+5.0-5.5 mmol/L group and the K+≥5.5 mmol/L group than those in the K+<5.0 mmol/L group (P<0.05), and those were significantly higher in the 1-2 and 3-4 frequency groups than those in the 0 frequency group of hyperkalemia (P<0.05). Conclusion Serum potassium>5.0 mmol/L in elderly MHD patients is an independent risk factor for all-cause and CVD mortality. It is recommended to adjust the upper limit of the normal range of serum potassium to 5.0 mmol/L.

Key words: renal dialysis, hyperkalemia, prognosis, aged

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