Frequency Of Hyperkalaemia In Non-Dialysis Dependent Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Patients

Objective: To examine the prevalence of hyperkalaemia and its relationship with various demographic and clinical variables among non-dialysis dependent chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Study Design: A cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the Nephrology Unit of Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar, from September 6, 2020, to March 5, 2021. Materials and Methods: The study evaluated 150 diagnosed non-dialysis dependent CKD patients aged between 20 to 60 years. Demographic information, duration of CKD, and other relevant clinical data were recorded. Serum potassium levels were obtained, and renal function was quantified using the MDRD-4 equation. Serum K level >5 mmol/L was considered hyperkalaemia. Statistical analyses, Mean ± SD, univariate and multivariate logistic regression were produced using latest version 21 SPSS. Results: Patients mean age was 39 ± 11.2 years, with 53.3% being male 46.7% female. The mean duration of CKD was 10.2 ± 7.2 months, and 60% of patients had been diagnosed with CKD for less than 1 year. Hyperkalaemia was observed in 45.3% of the patients. Significant associations were found between hyperkalaemia and factors such as CKD duration (p < 0.05), CKD staging (p < 0.05), and BMI >25 kg/m² (p < 0.05).Log odds of hyperkalemia increased by 1.9598 as patients were moving from Stage 1-2 to Stage 3-4. Conclusion: This study features the high prevalence of hyperkalaemia in non-dialysis dependent CKD patients and its associations with CKD Stages, duration, and demographic characteristics. These findings emphasize the seriousness of surveying and managing serum potassium levels in these patient population to prevent potential life-threatening complications. Key Words: Hyperkalaemia, Chronic kidney disease, Nephrology, Prevalence Citation of article: Qadir A, Zareen Ullah, Khalil MD, Saqib MN, Khan A, Khan A. Frequency of Hyperkalaemia in Non-Dialysis Dependent Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Patients. Med Forum 2023;34(6):2-5.