As the renal function progressive decline is often correlated to diuresis impairment, potassium level changes represent a major pathophysiological factor in monitoring chronic kidney disease. Even more, potassium level imbalance could lead to life-threatening situations with the risk of severe rhythm disorders appearance. The aim of the study was to determine in which degree the serum potassium changes are implicated in arrhythmias development in CKD patients.
Patients and methods: We included 678 CKD patients (predialysis and dialysed patients) to whom we recorded biohumoral and clinical features in correlations with the possibility of arrhythmias genesis.
Results: we noticed, in our predialysis group, an important correlation between hyper-/hypokalemia and arrhythmias appearance, more frequent during hypokalemia episodes (OR=4.04, respectively OR=7.5). The same situation was observed in chronic dialysis group.
Conclusions: Hypokalemia is a stronger risk factor than hyperkalemia, but all together, any minimal changes in serum potassium levels could determine arrhythmia in CKD patients.