Factors predicting hyperkalemia in patients with cirrhosis receiving spironolactone.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the factors leading to hyperkalemia in patients with cirrhosis receiving spironolactone.

METHODS

An observational, analytical, case control study.

METHODS

The Aga Khan University Hospital. Six months.

METHODS

One hundred and fifty consecutive patients (100 males, 50 females) with cirrhosis of liver, hospitalized for decompensated disease and receiving spironolactone for at least two weeks before admission, were included in this study. Patients with hyperkalemia (n=67) having potassium level >5 mmol/l were compared with patients who had normal potassium level 5 mmol/l (n=83). The parameters taken into account were age, gender of the patients, type and dose of diuretics along with concomitant medicines, diastolic blood pressure, edema, ascites, blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, electrolytes, bilirubin, albumin, prothrombin time, Child class, and Child Pugh score.

RESULTS

Patients with hyperkalemia (K > 5 mmol/l) had higher blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine and bilirubin levels (p= 0.004, 0.001 and 0.044 respectively). Their serum sodium and albumin levels were lower (p= 0.000 and 0.017 respectively). They had advanced cirrhosis with high Pugh score (p= 0.003). These patients were on higher dose of spironolactone (p =0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that dose of spironolactone >100 mg /day, serum creatinine >1.3 mg/dl, persistence of ascites and edema, and female gender were important predictors of development of hyperkalemia.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with cirrhosis receiving high dose of the diuretic, having edema, ascites and high serum creatinine are at the greater risk of developing hyperkalemia during spironolactone therapy.