Variables | Category | n | Hyperkalaemia | Hypokalaemia | Serum potassium, mEq/L | |||||||
Guidelines definition | Study definition | Guidelines definition | Study definition | |||||||||
% | P value | % | P value | % | P value | % | P value | Mean (SD) | P value | |||
All | 1266 | 2.7 | – | 4.3 | – | 1.8 | – | 4.0 | – | 4.4 (0.5) | – | |
Age | <65 | 407 | 2.7 | 0.98 | 5.4 | 0.20 | 1.0 | 0.13 | 3.0 | 0.21 | 4.4 (0.5) | 0.35 |
≥65 | 859 | 2.7 | 3.8 | 2.2 | 4.4 | 4.4 (0.5) | ||||||
Sex | Male | 1048 | 3.0 | 0.19 | 4.8 | 0.10 | 1.8 | 0.98 | 3.9 | 0.88 | 4.5 (0.5) | 0.06 |
Female | 218 | 1.4 | 2.3 | 1.8 | 4.1 | 4.4 (0.5) | ||||||
Study region | Changzhi | 472 | 3.0 | 0.42 | 5.3 | 0.38 | 0.6 | 0.003 | 0.9 | <0.001 | 4.5 (0.5) | <0.001 |
Yangcheng | 285 | 3.2 | 4.6 | 4.2 | 10.2 | 4.3 (0.6) | ||||||
Xi’an | 299 | 1.3 | 2.7 | 2.0 | 3.7 | 4.4 (0.5) | ||||||
Hohhot | 210 | 3.3 | 4.3 | 1.0 | 2.9 | 4.4 (0.5) | ||||||
Unhealthy conditions† | No | 308 | 1.0 | 0.03 | 2.3 | 0.04 | 0.6 | 0.08 | 2.3 | 0.08 | 4.4 (0.4) | 0.08 |
Yes | 958 | 3.2 | 5.0 | 2.2 | 4.5 | 4.5 (0.5) | ||||||
Hypertension | No | 451 | 1.3 | 0.03 | 2.4 | 0.01 | 1.6 | 0.60 | 3.6 | 0.59 | 4.4 (0.5) | 0.26 |
Yes | 815 | 3.4 | 5.4 | 2.0 | 4.2 | 4.4 (0.5) | ||||||
Stroke | No | 928 | 2.5 | 0.45 | 4.3 | 0.92 | 1.9 | 0.59 | 4.1 | 0.66 | 4.4 (0.5) | 0.24 |
Yes | 338 | 3.3 | 4.4 | 1.5 | 3.6 | 4.5 (0.5) | ||||||
Diabetes | No | 1117 | 2.3 | 0.05 | 3.9 | 0.05 | 1.6 | 0.18 | 3.9 | 0.62 | 4.4 (0.5) | 0.76 |
Yes | 149 | 5.4 | 7.4 | 3.4 | 4.7 | 4.4 (0.5) | ||||||
Coronary heart disease | No | 1138 | 2.4 | 0.07 | 4.0 | 0.12 | 1.5 | 0.02 | 3.8 | 0.35 | 4.4 (0.5) | 0.22 |
Yes | 128 | 5.5 | 7.0 | 4.7 | 5.5 | 4.5 (0.6) | ||||||
Antihypertension medications | No | 789 | 2.8 | 0.77 | 4.1 | 0.52 | 1.4 | 0.15 | 3.3 | 0.12 | 4.5 (0.5) | 0.27 |
Yes | 477 | 2.5 | 4.8 | 2.5 | 5.0 | 4.4 (0.5) | ||||||
Potassium-sparing medications‡§ | No | 1087 | 2.5 | 0.13 | 4.3 | 0.72 | 1.6 | 0.71 | 3.8 | 0.80 | 4.4 (0.5) | 0.32 |
Yes | 119 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 1.7 | 4.2 | 4.5 (0.5) | ||||||
Kaliuretic diuretics‡ | No | 1045 | 2.6 | 0.43 | 4.4 | 0.98 | 1.5 | 0.73 | 3.5 | 0.21 | 4.5 (0.5) | 0.08 |
Yes | 161 | 3.7 | 4.4 | 1.9 | 5.6 | 4.4 (0.5) | ||||||
Other medications‡¶ | No | 946 | 2.8 | 0.96 | 3.8 | 0.06 | 1.5 | 0.58 | 3.7 | 0.69 | 4.4 (0.5) | 0.40 |
Yes | 260 | 2.7 | 6.5 | 1.9 | 4.2 | 4.5 (0.5) | ||||||
Other unhealthy conditions** | No | 1159 | 2.7 | 0.76 | 4.4 | 0.75 | 1.7 | 0.44 | 3.9 | 0.61 | 4.4 (0.5) | 0.36 |
Yes | 107 | 2.8 | 3.7 | 2.8 | 4.7 | 4.5 (0.5) | ||||||
eGFR, mL/min/1.73 m2†† | ≥90 | 707 | 2.6 | 0.18 | 4.5 | 0.75 | 1.8 | 0.68 | 4.2 | 0.15 | 4.4 (0.5) | <0.001 |
60–89 | 504 | 2.2 | 3.6 | 2.0 | 4.0 | 4.5 (0.5) | ||||||
<60 | 55 | 9.1 | 9.1 | 0 | 0 | 4.7 (0.6) |
*Guidelines definition: hyperkalaemia is defined as serum potassium >5.5 mEq/L and hypokalaemia is defined as serum potassium <3.5 mEq/L. Study definition: hyperkalaemia is defined as serum potassium >97.5th percentile and hypokalaemia is defined as serum potassium <2.5th percentile of the distribution among healthy participants.
†Unhealthy conditions include hypertension, diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease, stroke, chronic kidney disease, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or being bedridden.
‡Number of participants with missing data60.
§Include ACEI/ARB, β-blocker and potassium-sparing diuretics.
¶Include calcium channel blocker, α-blocker and so on.
**Other unhealthy conditions include chronic kidney disease, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or being bedridden.
††P value for trend.
ACEI, ACE inhibitor; ARB, angiotensin receptor blocker; eGFR, estimated glomerular filtration rate.