title: Chronic hypokalaemia--how to establish a diagnosis?
abstract: We present three cases of patients with symptomatic, chronic, diagnosis-resistant hypokalaemia. Differential diagnosis of renal potassium loss between Gitelman's syndrome, Bartter's syndrome and loop diuretic abuse was made. Key elements in differential diagnosis of chronic hypokalaemia are blood pressure assessment, acid base equilibrium, serum calcium concentration, 24-hour urine potassium and calcium excretion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Transplantology and Internal Medicine, Pomeranian Medical University, Al. Powstańców Wlkp. 72, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland. mikk@sky.pl
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kedzierska
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ciechanowski
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gołembiewska
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Domański
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kabat-Koperska
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pietrzak-Nowacka
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stepień-Korzonek
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bober
mesh_terms: D000136:Acid-Base Equilibrium; D000328:Adult; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000097:blood; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002118:Calcium / Q000652:urine; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005221:Fatigue; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007008:Hypokalemia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011188:Potassium / Q000652:urine; D012083:Renin / Q000097:blood; D014508:Urea / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000450:Aldosterone; D014508:Urea; D003404:Creatinine; D012083:Renin; D011188:Potassium; D002118:Calcium