Premium
Potassium depletion in a healthy north‐eastern Thai population: No association with tubulo‐interstitial injury
Author(s) -
LELAMALI KUMTORN,
KHUNKITTI WIRUT,
YENRUDI SAOWANEE,
PANICHAPHONGSE VIRATT,
HUIPRASERT LEANG,
SITPRIJA VISITH,
TUNGSANGA KRIANG
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
nephrology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 61
eISSN - 1440-1797
pISSN - 1320-5358
DOI - 10.1046/j.1440-1797.2003.00134.x
Subject(s) - medicine , interstitial nephritis , potassium , distal renal tubular acidosis , population , potassium deficiency , metabolic acidosis , renal tubular acidosis , hypokalemic periodic paralysis , hypokalemia , kidney , gastroenterology , acidosis , endocrinology , chemistry , environmental health , organic chemistry
SUMMARY: Potassium depletion prevails among the healthy population of north‐east Thailand, as well as among patients with certain metabolic disorders such as upper urinary tract stones, the sudden unexplained death syndrome, distal renal tubular acidosis and hypokalaemic periodic paralysis. However, definite proof of the relationship of potassium depletion and these metabolic disorders is lacking. We prospectively studied muscle and kidney potassium content including renal tissue pathology in three groups of healthy adult Thai subjects who died of vehicular accidents. Group 1 ( n = 24) were Bangkok city dwellers; groups 2 ( n = 10) and 3 ( n = 22) lived in north‐eastern Thailand in the metropolitan area and in the villages, respectively. The muscle potassium content of group 1 (338.5 ± 9.6 mEq/kg dry weight (DW)) were similar to group 2 (307.9 ± 11.9 mEq/kg DW), but was greater than group 3 (295.4 ± 9.1 mEq/kg DW; P < 0.01). The kidney potassium content of group 1 (208.6 ± 7.8 mEq/kg DW) was significantly higher than group 3 (175.9 ± 6.3 mEq/kg DW, P < 0.05). In group 3, the muscle potassium correlated linearly with the kidney potassium ( r = 0.455, P = 0.33). None of the group 3 patients had renal histopathological change compatible with a diagnosis of focal or diffuse interstitial nephritis.This study confirms that potassium depletion is common among healthy rural dwellers in north‐east Thailand. This deficit was probably chronic. However, there was minimal renal tubulo‐interstitial change.