Prevalence and factors associated with false hyperkalaemia in Asians in primary care: a cross-sectional study (the Unlysed Hyperkalaemia- the Unseen Burden (UHUB) study).

ABSTRACT: Serum potassium is part of routine laboratory tests done for patients with hypertension or diabetes mellitus in primary care. Those found to have raised potassium (K>5.5 mmol/L) are recalled for repeat potassium in emergency departments or primary care clinics. Repeat potassium are often normal (≤5.5 mmo/L), that is, false hyperkalaemia. Haemolysis is known to cause false hyperkalaemia. We postulated that unlysed false hyperkalamia was prevalent and was associated with factors such as delayed processing time.

Objective

We aimed to determine the prevalence of unlysed false hyperkalaemia and the factors associated with false-and-true-hyperkalaemia.

Setting

Outpatients in a cluster of public primary care clinics (polyclinics) in Singapore.

Participants

All patients of any

SUBMITTER: Boo AYY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7509977 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature