No abstract

The current study simultaneously measured serum and red blood cell (RBC) K+ as well as plasma pH, bicarbonate, serum insulin, and aldosterone at pre-, end-, and at 5, 11, and 19 hours posthemodialysis in 25 patients with end-stage renal disease and evaluated the factors influencing serum K+ levels during those periods. Our patients were studied under their current dietary conditions. At end-dialysis, serum K+ levels decreased, but RBC K+ levels were not changed. At this time point, the decrease in serum K+ levels was exclusively caused by removal of K+ by dialysis. At 5 hours postdialysis, serum K+ rapidly increased, whereas RBC K+ decreased. The 5 hour postdialysis serum K+ increase negatively correlated with the decrease in serum insulin levels. At 11 hours postdialysis, serum K+ slowly but significantly increased, and RBC K+ increased to those levels at pre- and end-dialysis. At 19 hours postdialysis, serum K+ further increased, but RBC K+ remained stable. From 5 to 19 hours postdialysis, the increase in serum K+ was independent of changes in plasma pH, bicarbonate, insulin, and aldosterone but was associated with both the predialysis serum K+ levels and the magnitude of the decrease in serum K+ at end-dialysis.