Comparison of Two Potassium Targets Within the Normal Range in Intensive Care Patients
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2012-01-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Rationale: It is well known that distinctly abnormal blood potassium values can cause serious
complications such as cardiac arrhythmias. Although potassium regulation is generally
considered important, hardly any research has been done about potassium regulation in
intensive care patients. The investigators hypothesize that different potassium
target-values, within the as normal accepted range, may have different effects in critically
ill patients.
Study design: A prospective trial comparing two different potassium target-values. Potassium
will be tightly regulated with the already fully operational GRIP-II computer program.
Study population: 1200 adult patients admitted at the thoracic intensive care unit of the
University Medical Center Groningen.
Intervention: Comparison between two variations of standard therapy: potassium target-value
of 4.0 mmol/L versus 4.5 mmol/L.
Main study parameters/endpoints: The primary endpoint is the incidence of atrial fibrillation
or atrial flutter from ICU-admission to hospital discharge. Secondary endpoints are serum
levels of potassium and the other main electrolytes, renal function and renal potassium
excretion, the relation with insulin and glucose, the cumulative fluid balance, (ICU) length
of stay and mortality.