2021 Volume 70 Issue 4 Pages 654-660
Blood potassium (K) fluctuations not only depend on renal function, but also on other factors such as hemolysis. The aim of this research is to replicate and detect transient hyperkalemia without any of these problems, but with the suspected effect of a potassium-rich diet, in an actual clinical case that the researchers encountered. Twelve healthy volunteers with informed consent ingested a potassium-rich diet, which is similar to the diet of the patient of interest. Serum K, urinary K and urinary creatinine (CRE) levels before meal intake and 1 and 2 h after the meal intake were measured. In two of the 12 participants, the serum K level increased by 0.7 mmol/L at 1 h after the meal intake, and urinary K/CRE increased by 60 mmol/g·CRE 2 h after the meal intake. In all 12 participants, a significant increase in serum K level was observed 1 h (*p < 0.05) and 2 h (**p < 0.01) after the meal intake, and an increase in urinary K/CRE 2 h* after the meal intake. An increase in serum K level of more than 0.3 mmol/L was seen in seven of the 12 participants. In these participants, a higher urine K/CRE 2 h after the meal intake and a lower urinary K excretion level 1 h after the meal intake were observed, which suggest delayed K excretion. In this study, we observed an increase in serum K level following meal intake in healthy individuals. In hyperkalemic patients with discrepancies in clinical features, it is important to check the contents of their diet and time after consumption before analysis.
