title: [Changes in kaliemia following rapid sequence induction with succinylcholine in critically ill patients].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Evaluate the changes in potassium following rapid sequence induction with succinylcholine in critically ill-patients and determine whether hospital length of stay could influence the succinylcholine-induced hyperkaliemia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective and observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  After approval by our local ethical committee, we prospectively included 36 patients admitted from more than 24hours in ICU and who required succinylcholine for rapid tracheal intubation (1mg/kg). Serum potassium was measured before, 5 and 30min after succinylcholine. The incidence of life-threatening hyperkaliemia (≥6.5mmol/L) was noted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We could observe significant and transient increase in serum potassium (median increase of 0.45 [0.20-0.80] mmol/L at five minutes). A significant relationship was observed between the ICU length of stay and arterial potassium increase (r=0.37, P<0.05). From the ROC curve, a threshold of 12 days had an 86% sensitivity and 69% specificity in discriminating patients in whom the potassium increase was more than 1.5mmol/L.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Induction with succinylcholine is followed by significant but transient hyperkaliema. The ICU length of stay before giving succinylcholine could influence significantly the amplitude of potassium increase.
authors.affiliation: Service d'anesthésie-réanimation II, hôpital du Haut-Lévêque, CHU de Bordeaux, avenue Magellan, 3300 Bordeaux, France.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mégret
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Perrier
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fleureau
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Germain
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dewitte
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rozé
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ouattara
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000758:Anesthesia; D003422:Critical Care; D016638:Critical Illness / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006947:Hyperkalemia / Q000139:chemically induced*; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009467:Neuromuscular Depolarizing Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012372:ROC Curve; D012151:Resuscitation; D013390:Succinylcholine / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D009467:Neuromuscular Depolarizing Agents; D013390:Succinylcholine; D011188:Potassium