title: High potassium level during pregnancy is associated with future cardiovascular morbidity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study was aimed to determine whether high potassium level during pregnancy is an independent risk factor for future atherosclerotic morbidity.
  
  
  METHODS
  A case-control study was conducted including women who delivered between the years 2000-2012 and subsequently developed atherosclerotic morbidity after their last delivery (n = 653) and matched controls (n = 4101). The mean follow-up duration was 57.7 ± 36.5 and 78.5 ± 42.3 months, respectively. The cases were further divided into: major events (severe atherosclerotic morbidity; n = 363), minor events (i.e. cardiovascular risk factors; n = 201) and cardiovascular evaluation tests (n = 89). The Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the adjusted hazard ratios (HR) for hospitalizations while controlling for confounders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A Cox proportional hazard model, controlling for confounders such as gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes mellitus, obesity, maternal age, creatinine level and gestational week at index pregnancy showed that K(+ )≥ 5.0 mEq/L during pregnancy was significantly associated with hospitalizations due to severe atherosclerotic morbidity (adjusted HR = 1.55; 95% CI 1.02-2.35; p = 0.039). A non-significant trend was also noted with long-term total hospitalizations for atherosclerotic (adjusted HR = 1.39; 95% CI 0.99-1.94; p = 0.052).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High potassium level during pregnancy is associated with a significant risk for severe atherosclerotic morbidity, as it might be an indication for occult metabolic and renal dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: a Hypertension Unit .
authors.forename: Talya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wolak
authors.affiliation: b Department of Public Health , and.
authors.forename: Ilana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Shoham-Vardi
authors.affiliation: b Department of Public Health , and.
authors.forename: Ruslan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sergienko
authors.affiliation: c Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Health Sciences , Soroka University Medical Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev , Beer-Sheva , Israel.
authors.forename: Eyal
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sheiner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D011188:Potassium
keywords: Cardiovascular; potassium; pregnancy