Clinical outcomes associated with the emergency treatment of hyperkalaemia with intravenous insulin-dextrose

Background: Hyperkalaemia occurs in up to 10% of hospital admissions but its treatment in the emergency setting is inconsistent. Objectives: To describe the emergency management of hyperkalaemia in adults with insulin-dextrose (IDex) and to explore clinical outcomes associated with IDex treatment. Design and setting: Cohort study using comprehensive electronic health records of all emergency admissions to a large university hospital in the United Kingdom between April 2015 and August 2018. Participants: Adult patients aged >= 16 years with at least one emergency admission and one blood potassium result during the study period. Main outcomes and measures: Emergency hyperkalaemia treatment was evaluated including the requirement for re-treatment with IDex, episodes of glucose dysregulation, intensive care (ICU) admission and length of hospital stay. Associations with hyperkalaemia, adverse events and IDex treatment were explored by logistic regression. Results: Amongst 211,993 patients attending the Emergency Department (ED) we identified 11,107 hyperkalaemic adult patients, of whom 1,284 were treated with IDex. Multiple doses were required in 542 patients (42.2%). Hypoglycaemia (plasma glucose < 4 mmol/L) occurred in 249 patients (19.4%) within 6 hours of IDex. Repeated doses were associated with an increased risk of hypoglycaemia (OR 2.94, 95% CI 2.20 to 3.93) compared to patients receiving a single dose, which, after adjustment was also associated with an increased risk of death (OR 1.56, 95% CI 1.16 to 2.09) during the study period. Patients who received multiple doses of IDex (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.6-3.1) and those who received a dose of insulin above the guideline recommended limit (OR 5.6 3.1-10.3) were more likely to be admitted to ICU following IDex than those who received a single dose or the guideline recommended dose of insulin. Conclusions and Relevance: This study provides novel insight into the emergency management of hyperkalaemia in a large population, demonstrates the high risk of hypoglycaemia and highlights the urgent need for an improved, evidence-based approach to the emergency management of hyperkalaemia.

Automated summary

This study describes the emergency management of hyperkalaemia in adults using insulin-dextrose (IDex) and explores the clinical outcomes associated with IDex treatment. The study found that multiple doses of IDex were associated with an increased risk of hypoglycaemia and death. Additionally, patients who received multiple doses or doses exceeding the recommended limit were more likely to be admitted to the intensive care unit.