title: Hypophosphataemia in a hospital population and the incidence of concomitant hypokalaemia.
abstract: There have been few recent studies describing the incidence and causes of hypophosphataemia in a hospital population and the frequency of concomitant hypokalaemia. In this study a majority (53%) of patients with hypophosphataemia had been on a glucose infusion at the time of their low plasma phosphate. The largest patient group found to show hypophosphataemia (less than 0.8 mmol/L) were in the Intensive Therapy Unit (ITU), and this was also the largest patient group manifesting severe hypophosphataemia (less than 0.3 mmol/L). Approximately, 11% of patients with hypophosphataemia (less than 0.8 mmol/L) had a plasma potassium equal to or less than 3.5 mmol/L, compared with 5.7% of hospital patients without hypophosphataemia. Furthermore, 20% of patients with severe hypophosphataemia (less than 0.3 mmol/L) had hypokalaemia as similarly defined.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Chemistry, Guy's Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Crook
mesh_terms: D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007008:Hypokalemia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010710:Phosphates / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D010710:Phosphates