Hyperkalemia and CKD Progression Risk
Author Information
Author(s): Agiro Abiy, Cook Erin, Mu Fan, Greatsinger Alexandra, Chen Jingyi, Zhao Angela, Louden Elaine, Colman Ellen, Desai Pooja, Chertow Glenn M.
Primary Institution: AstraZeneca, Wilmington, Delaware
Hypothesis
Does hyperkalemia directly contribute to CKD progression and risk of death?
Conclusion
Patients with CKD stages 3b/4 and hyperkalemia have a higher risk of CKD progression and all-cause mortality compared to those without hyperkalemia.
Supporting Evidence
- Patients with hyperkalemia had a 1.60-fold higher risk of CKD progression.
- Patients with hyperkalemia had a 1.09-fold higher risk of all-cause mortality.
- Results were consistent across various patient subanalyses.
Takeaway
If you have kidney problems and high potassium levels, you might get worse faster than if your potassium levels are normal.
Methodology
This was a real-world, exact and propensity score matched, observational cohort study using data from Optum's deidentified Market Clarity Data.
Potential Biases
The observational design may introduce residual confounding.
Limitations
The dataset lacked some variables of interest, and mild cases of hyperkalemia may have been undercoded.
Participant Demographics
Mean age was 74.5 years, with 53% female; most had CKD stage 3b.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
1.50 to 1.71
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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