Premium
The Relationship between Total Body Potassium and Exchangeable Body Potassium Measured at 24 Hours and 44 Hours after Administration of 43 K
Author(s) -
Boddy Keith,
King Priscilla C.,
Davies David L.
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
european journal of clinical investigation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.164
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1365-2362
pISSN - 0014-2972
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2362.1973.tb00348.x
Subject(s) - potassium , kilogram , body weight , zoology , chemistry , isotopes of potassium , body water , sodium , medicine , endocrinology , biology , organic chemistry
. Total body potassium was measured in patients by whole‐body monitoring and compared with exchangeable body potassium measured 24 h and 44 h after administration of 43 K. It was confirmed that equilibration was incomplete after only 24 h but, when the 44 h exchangeable potassium was expressed as a percentage of the total body potassium or as mEq per kilogram body weight, the mean values for males and females were not significantly different from the corresponding values found here and by other workers at 24 h post‐administration. However, in a hypokalemic patient treated with carbenoxolone sodium, the exchangeable potassium did not accurately reflect the total body potassium before and after treatment or when the patient was normo‐kalaemic. The measured values of total body potassium were also compared with normal values estimated from the patient's weight, height and age, and from height and age only. The importance was demonstrated of using a relationship which does not involve the patient's weight when aberrations in body weight may exist, in this case obesity. The longer half‐life and lower radiation per μCi of 43 K was advantageous but the isotope is not readily available and is more expensive than 42 K because of its method of production.