title: Fractional excretion of potassium in normal subjects and in patients with hypokalaemia.
abstract: The aim of our study was the determination of fractional excretion of potassium (FEK+) in both normal subjects and hypokalaemic patients. Three hundred and twelve normal subjects aged 21-69 years and 84 hypokalaemic patients aged 36-72 years were studied. The mean FEK+ in normal subjects was 8% (range 4-16%). FEK+ was positively correlated with serum potassium (r = 0.74, p < 0.0001) and inversely with serum creatinine (r = -0.51, p < 0.001). The mean FEK+ in patients with hypokalaemia of external origin was 2.8% (range 1.5-6.4%). On the contrary, the mean FEK+ in hypokalaemic patients in whom renal potassium loss was the main aetiologic factor for the pathogenesis of hypokalaemia was 15% (range 9.5-24%).
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Greece.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Elisaf
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Siamopoulos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007008:Hypokalemia / Q000652:urine*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine*
chemical_list: D003404:Creatinine; D011188:Potassium