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Table 1 Demographic and clinical baseline characteristics

From: Severe hyperkalemia requiring hospitalization: predictors of mortality

Characteristics

Number (percentage) unless indicated otherwise

Age, yearsa

61.1 ± 15.0

Male gender

586 (63.5)

Serum potassium level, mEq/L (K+ ≥6.5 mEq/L)a

7.1 ± 0.7

Serum potassium level at admission, mEq/La

5.7 ± 1.5

The type of admission

 

   Planned admission

290 (31.4)

   Emergent admission

633 (68.6)

Admission for severe hyperkalemia

93 (10.1)

Onset of hyperkalemia

 

   At the time of admission to the hospital

339 (40.0)

   During the period of hospitalization

554 (60.0)

Period from admission to diagnosis, daysa

16.7 ± 34.3

Location at diagnosis with hyperkalemia

 

   Intensive care unit

171 (30.9)

   Surgical ward

111 (20.0)

   Medical ward

244 (44.0)

   Emergency room

28 (5.1)

Multi-organ failure at admission

108 (11.7)

Multi-organ failure at the time of diagnosis

226 (24.5)

Diagnosis at the time of cardiac arrest

187 (20.3)

Symptoms pertinent to hyperkalemia

432 (46.8)

   Cardiac arrest

187 (43.3)

   Arrhythmia

152 (35.2)

   Other typical symptoms

93 (21.5)

Underlying diseases

 

   Diabetes mellitus

375 (40.6)

   Hypertension

427 (46.3)

   Chronic kidney disease (CKD)

648 (70.2)

Unknown stage

10 (1.5)

Stage II

158 (24.4)

Stage III

207 (31.9)

Stage IV

79 (12.3)

Stage V

194 (29.9)

   ESRD on dialysis

160 (17.3)

   Malignancy

299 (32.4)

   Liver cirrhosis

161 (17.4)

   Coronary artery disease

108 (11.7)

   Pulmonary diseases

95 (10.3)

   Cerebrovascular disease

95 (10.3)

   History of recurrence for severe hyperkalemia

62 (6.7)

   Congestive heart failure

71 (7.7)

   Arrhythmia

 

Atrial fibrillation

100 (10.8)

First degree atrioventricular block

27 (2.9)

   Thyroid disease

38 (4.1)

Drugs

 

   Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor

60 (6.5)

   Angiotensin II receptor blocker

165 (17.9)

   Potassium-sparing diuretics

108 (11.7)

   Beta blocker

124 (13.4)

   NSAIDs

22 (2.4)

   Digoxin

25 (2.7)

   Potassium supplements

129 (14.0)

Coexisting medical conditions

 

   1. Renal impairment

 

New-onset acute kidney injury (AKI)

205 (22.2)

AKI superimposed on CKD

478 (51.8)

Infection

304 (32.9)

Volume depletion

426 (46.2)

Bleeding

173 (18.7)

   2. Potassium shift from ICF to ECF

 

Metabolic acidosis

592 (64.1)

Rhabdomyolysis

52 (5.6)

Tumor lysis syndrome

11 (1.2)

   3. Others

 

Poor compliance to K+-lowering agents

30 (3.3)

Constipation

7 (0.8)

Transfusion

24 (2.6)

Adrenal insufficiency

16 (1.7)

ECG changes pertinent to hyperkalemia

481/673 (71.5)

Period from diagnosis to ECG change, minutesa

21.6 ± 99.0

   Typical findings

339 (70.5)

   Atypical findings

142 (29.5)

  1. aMean ± standard deviation. ECF, extracellular fluid; ECG, electrocardiogram; ESRD, end-stage renal disease; ICF, intracellular fluid; NSAID, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug.