Standardising dialysate potassium does not increase patient risk

Objective:
To examine the effect of standardising dialysate potassium to 2 mmol/l for all chronic dialysis treatments.

Design:
Pre- and post-intervention comparison of monthly serum potassium.

Participants:
Ninety-seven individuals, of whom 56 patients could be matched across both data collection periods.

Methods:
Serum potassium data were categorised based on a target range 3.5–6.0 mmol/l. Overall pre- and postintervention mean scores were compared using a paired samples t-test. Data for patients routinely prescribed dialysate potassium 1 mmol/l pre-intervention (n ¼ 6) underwent paired samples t-test to compare their mean serum potassium pre and post-intervention.

Results:
There was no statistically significant change in serum potassium post- intervention. The majority of patients remained within the target range, including the subset of patients who had a history of high serum potassium during the pre- intervention period.

Conclusions:
A standard potassium dialysate of 2 mmol/l may reduce intradialytic serum potassium shifts and may assist in standardising safer work practices.