Acute and Critical Care

Original Article

CPR/Resuscitation
Incidence of hypoglycemia in hyperkalemia patients after treatment with insulin and dextrose in the emergency department of a tertiary care hospital in India: a prospective observational study: Vivek Chaurasia, Nayer Jamshed, Praveen Aggrawal, Sanjeev Bhoi, Meera Ekka, Tej Prakash Sinha, Akshay Kumar, Prakash Ranjan Mishra, Anand Kumar Das; Acute Crit Care. 2024;39(4):499-506. Published online November 22, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2024.00661

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Abstract PDF: Background
Hypoglycemia is a serious, often overlooked complication of treating hyperkalemia with insulin and dextrose. If not recognized and managed, it can increase morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to estimate the incidence of hypoglycemia in hyperkalemic patients treated with 10 units of intravenous insulin, 50 ml of 50% dextrose, 10 ml of 10% calcium gluconate, and salbutamol nebulization. Additionally, the timing of hypoglycemia onset and its associated factors were studied.
Methods
This prospective observational study included hyperkalemic patients (serum potassium >5.5 mmol/L) who visited the emergency department between January 26, 2020, and August 26, 2021. The primary outcome was hypoglycemia (blood glucose <70 mg/dl) within 3 hours of receiving the standard treatment. Glucose levels were measured hourly for 3 hours. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression identified factors associated with hypoglycemia.
Results
Of 100 patients, 69% were male, and the median age was 46 years (IQR, 30–60 years). Hypoglycemia occurred in 44%, and 10% developed severe hypoglycemia (blood glucose <54 mg/dl). The median time for hypoglycemia onset was 2 hours (IQR, 1–2 hours). Low pretreatment blood glucose (<100 mg/dl) was significantly associated with hypoglycemia, according to both univariate and multivariate analyses.
Conclusions
The study found a higher incidence of hypoglycemia in hyperkalemia treatment than reported in retrospective studies, suggesting the need for standardized management protocols with integrated glucose monitoring.

Case Reports

Nephrology
Sudden Intraoperative Hyperkalemia during Laparoscopic Radical Nephrectomy in a Patient with Underlying Renal Insufficiency: Sung Hoon Jung, Yun-Joung Han, Sang Ho Shin, Hyo Seon Lee, Ji Young Lee; Acute Crit Care. 2017;33(4):271-275. Published online November 21, 2018; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2016.00696

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2 Web of Science
2 Crossref

We experienced a case of severe intraoperative hyperkalemia during laparoscopic radical nephrectomy in a 60-year-old male patient with renal insufficiency, whose hypertension had been managed by preoperative angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) and adrenergic beta-antagonist. After renal vessel ligation, his intraoperative potassium concentration suddenly increased to 7.0 mEq/L, but his electrocardiography (ECG) did not show any significant change. While preoperative ARB therapy has been regarded as a contributing factor for further aggravation of underlying renal insufficiency, we assumed that nephrectomy itself and rhabdomyolysis caused by surgical trauma also aggravated the underlying renal dysfunction and resulted in sudden hyperkalemia. Hyperkalemia was managed successfully with calcium gluconate, insulin, furosemide and crystalloid loading during the intraoperative and immediate postoperative periods, and potassium concentration decreased to 5.0 mEq/L at 8 hours after the operation. The patient’s hospital course was uncomplicated, but his renal function deteriorated further.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Robotic‐Assisted Radical Cystectomy and Acute Intraoperative Hyperkalemia: A Case Series
Amro Khalili, Christian K. Raphael, Rasha Shreim, Nancy Abou Nafeh, Cynthia Karam
Clinical Case Reports.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Acute Intraoperative Hyperkalemia During Robot-Assisted Radical Cystectomy: A Case Report
Nivedhyaa Srinivasaraghavan, Vallary Modh, Arun Menon
A&A Practice.2022; 16(12): e01650. CrossRef

Cardiology/Pediatric
Transfusion Associated Hyperkalemia and Cardiac Arrest in an Infant after Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: Do Wan Kim, Kyeong Ryeol Cheon, Duck Cho, Kyo Seon Lee, Hwa Jin Cho, In Seok Jeong; Korean J Crit Care Med. 2015;30(2):132-134. Published online May 31, 2015; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/kjccm.2015.30.2.132

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5 Crossref

Abstract PDF

Cardiac arrest associated with hyperkalemia during red blood cell transfusion is a rare but fatal complication. Herein, we report a case of transfusion-associated cardiac arrest following the initiation of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support in a 9-month old infant. Her serum potassium level was increased to 9.0 mEq/L, soon after the newly primed circuit with pre-stored red blood cell (RBC) was started and followed by sudden cardiac arrest. Eventually, circulation was restored and the potassium level decreased to 5.1 mEq/L after 5 min. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) priming is a relatively massive transfusion into a pediatric patient. Thus, to prevent cardiac arrest during blood-primed ECMO in neonates and infants, freshly irradiated and washed RBCs should be used when priming the ECMO circuit, to minimize the potassium concentration. Also, physicians should be aware of all possible complications associated with transfusions during ECMO.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease, transfusion-associated hyperkalemia, and potassium filtration: advancing safety and sufficiency of the blood supply
Kenneth E. Nollet, Alain M. Ngoma, Hitoshi Ohto
Transfusion and Apheresis Science.2022; 61(2): 103408. CrossRef
Transfusion-Associated Hyperkalemic Cardiac Arrest in Neonatal, Infant, and Pediatric Patients
Morgan Burke, Pranava Sinha, Naomi L. C. Luban, Nikki Gillum Posnack
Frontiers in Pediatrics.2021;[Epub] CrossRef
Double-filtered leukoreduction as a method for risk reduction of transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease
Sejong Chun, Minh-Trang Thi Phan, Saetbyul Hong, Jehoon Yang, Yeup Yoon, Sangbin Han, Jungwon Kang, Mark H. Yazer, Jaehyun Kim, Duck Cho, Senthilnathan Palaniyandi
PLOS ONE.2020; 15(3): e0229724. CrossRef
Anticoagulation Therapy during Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenator Support in Pediatric Patients
Hwa Jin Cho, Do Wan Kim, Gwan Sic Kim, In Seok Jeong
Chonnam Medical Journal.2017; 53(2): 110. CrossRef
Blood Transfusion Strategies in Patients Supported by Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
Yoon Hee Kim
The Korean Journal of Critical Care Medicine.2015; 30(3): 139. CrossRef

Severe Hyperkalemia without Typical Electrocardiographic Manifestations: A case report: Sang Beom Nam, Hee Koo Yoo; Korean J Crit Care Med. 1999;14(1):42-46.

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Abstract PDF: Severe hyperkalemia can induce life threatening cardiac rhythm disturbances, and usually produce classic electrocardiographic (EKG) manifestations. We report a case of severe hyperkalemia in which the EKG did not reveal the expected alterations. The patient was a 57-year-old man with adenocarcinoma of stomach. There were no significant abnormal findings in laboratory analysis, chest X-ray and EKG. His preoperative medications for hypertension consisted of furosemide, amiloride and enalapril. The tests for serum potassium concentration ([K ]) were performed on 20 and 7 days before the operation and the results were 4.5 and 4.9 mEq/l, respectively. Just after induction of anesthesia, we tried the blood gas and electrolyte analysis and the result revealed high [K ] of 8.5 mEq/l, but EKG did not show typical phenotype of hyperkalemia at that time. His intraoperative and postoperative courses were not eventful.

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