Association of Hypokalemia With Mortality in Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Potassium imbalance, particularly hypokalemia, is a critical risk factor for adverse outcomes in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD). However, the association between hypokalemia and mortality is unclear.

Methods: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we assessed the association between hypokalemia and mortality in patients undergoing HD. We performed a systematic search of electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Scopus) to identify relevant studies published up to April 2024. Eligible studies were prospective or retrospective cohort studies reporting hazard ratios (HRs) for mortality in association with the presence of hypokalemia among patients undergoing HD. We used the assessed study Newcastle-Ottawa Scale to assess quality of the selected studies.

Results: We carried out both qualitative and quantitative assessments. For the meta-analysis, we pooled the HRs for all-cause and cardiovascular mortalities. The overall pooled HR for all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality were 1.34 (95% CI, 1.15, 1.55) and 1.49 (95% CI, 1.12, 1.98), respectively, indicating significant associations between hypokalemia and all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality in patients undergoing HD. Additionally, we conducted subgroup analyses based on study design, geographical location, type of dialysis, and serum potassium levels.

Conclusion: Our findings provide robust evidence of a significant association between hypokalemia and mortality in patients undergoing HD. Early detection and proactive management of hypokalemia are crucial for improving outcomes and reducing mortality risk in these patients.