title: Ratio of urinary potassium to urinary sodium and the potassium and edema status in nephrotic syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to evaluate the relevance of ratios of urinary potassium to urinary sodium + potassium (U(K)/U(Na + K)) to edema status in minimal-change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS).
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively studied 26 adults with newly diagnosed MCNS with significant pitting edema. On the basis of mean value (0.46±0.21) of U(K)/U(Na + K) determined from spot urine samples on admission, patients were classified into 2 groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On admission, 12 of 26 patients had U(K)/U(Na + K) >0.46 (0.65±0.16, Group H), 14 patients had U(K)/U(Na + K) <0.46 (0.29±0.08, Group L). The level of serum albumin was similarly decreased in these 2 groups. Noteworthy were lower urine volume, fractional excretion of sodium (FENa), serum sodium, and higher hematocrit in the group H as compared with the group L. The group H had a shorter mean time required from onset of edema to hospitalization, and tended to have a longer mean time to complete remission than group L. High U(K)/U(Na + K) levels in group H decreased significantly after remission, eventually becoming equal to those of group L (0.24±0.05 vs. 0.25±0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  U(K)/U(Na + K) determined from spot urine sample on admission relates to laboratory or clinical indices to distinguish edema status in adult patients with MCNS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Tokyo Medical University, Japan. mhiroshi@tokyo-med.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Yoshitaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Miyaoka
authors.forename: Tomonari
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.forename: Yume
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nagaoka
authors.forename: Toshikazu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.forename: Asako
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gondo
authors.forename: Shinga
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Esaki
authors.forename: Ami
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Toshiyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000652:urine; D004487:Edema / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000652:urine*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009404:Nephrotic Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000652:urine*; D010343:Patient Admission; D011188:Potassium / Q000652:urine*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012964:Sodium / Q000652:urine*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D012964:Sodium; D011188:Potassium