Early Onset Hyperkalemia within 72 Hours after Birth in Extremely Preterm Infants.
- Author:
Young Pyo CHANG
1
Author Information
1. Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Hyperkalemia;
Prematurity
- MeSH:
Arrhythmias, Cardiac;
Birth Weight;
Bradycardia;
Electrocardiography;
Gestational Age;
Humans;
Hyperkalemia*;
Incidence;
Infant;
Infant, Extremely Premature*;
Infant, Newborn;
Medical Records;
Parturition*;
Potassium;
Pregnancy;
Tachycardia
- From:Journal of the Korean Pediatric Society
1999;42(10):1366-1372
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: The incidence of hyperkalemia and the factors contributing the serum potassium level within 72 hours after birth in extremely preterm infants were determined. METHODS: The incidence of hyperkalemia and differences of clinical features between hyperkalemic(> OR =6.5mEq/L) and normokalemic(<6.5mEq/L) groups were determined by reviewing medical records of 53 extremely preterm infants born at less than 28 weeks gestation. RESULTS: The mean birth weight and gestational age of were 912+/-6gram and 26.2+/-3weeks respectively. Thirty-six infants(67.9%) had at least one serum potassium level that exceeded 6.5mEq/L, and 15 infants with hyperkalemia(> OR =6.5mEq/L) had electrocardiographic abnormalities and eight infants had hyperkalemia-induced cardiac arrhythmia such as ven- tricular tachycardia, fibrillation and/or bradycardia. Serum potassium peaked in 13-36 hour postnatal age and the incidence of electrocadiographic abnormalities was highest in the 13-36 hour postnatal age group (P<0.05). Urine flow rate during the first 48 hours after birth was only significantly lower for hyperkalemic infants(P<0.05). Six infants with hyperkalemia died as a direct result of hyperkalemia-induced cardiac arrhythmia. CONCLUSION: Hyperkalemia frequently occurred within the first 72 hours of life in extremely premature infants. Serum potassium should be monitored closely to avoid life-threatening cardiac arrhythmia in these infants.
