Effect of Potassium on Blood Sugar and Plasma Insulin Levels in Patients Undergoing Peritoneal Dialysis and Hemodialysis

    November 1968 in “ The Lancet
    Seedat Yk
    Image of study
    TLDR Potassium levels affect blood sugar and insulin during dialysis, and malnutrition changes children's hair roots.
    The document presents findings from two separate studies. The first study involved 10 patients with acute and chronic renal failure undergoing peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis. It was found that low plasma potassium levels were associated with the development of hyperglycemia during dialysis. After potassium levels were corrected in one patient, their blood sugar levels normalized in the next dialysis session, suggesting a correlation between plasma potassium levels and blood sugar and plasma insulin levels during dialysis. The second study compared hair-root characteristics between 13 Andean Indian children with marasmic kwashiorkor and 13 healthy children. The malnourished children had significant alterations in hair texture, cellular detritus, dysplastic hairs, and a reduction in anagen hairs (26±6% vs. 66±6% in healthy children) and an increase in telogen hairs (45±5% vs. 10±3% in healthy children). The bulb diameter was also significantly smaller in the malnourished group, indicating that protein-calorie malnutrition leads to measurable changes in hair-root morphology.
    Discuss this study in the Community →