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Nephrol Dial Transplant (2003) 18: 1657-1659
© 2003 European Renal Association-European Dialysis and Transplant Association

Case Report

An unusual case of pseudohyperkalaemia

Minhtri K. Nguyen and Ira Kurtz

Division of Nephrology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA

Correspondence and offprint requests to: Minhtri K. Nguyen, Division of Nephrology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 10833 Le Conte Avenue, Room 7-155 Factor Building, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. Email: mtnguyen@mednet.ucla.edu

Keywords: leukocytosis; plasma potassium; pseudohyperkalaemia; serum potassium; thrombocytosis

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.



   Introduction
 
Pseudohyperkalaemia is a clinical condition in which there is an artifactual elevation of the serum potassium level due to in vitro release of potassium from blood cells [1–3]. Pseudohyperkalaemia has been reported in clinical settings such as in vitro haemolysis due to mechanical trauma during venipuncture, severe thrombocytosis and leukocytosis, and familial pseudohyperkalaemia [4–13]. We report the first case of a patient with normal white blood cell (WBC) and platelet counts who presented with pseudohyperkalaemia due to excessive potassium release from blood cells during coagulation. This case has important therapeutic implications in that pseudohyperkalaemia needs to be excluded in any patient with unexplained hyperkalaemia to avoid unnecessary and potentially detrimental therapy.



   Case
 
The patient is a 42-year-old female who was referred to the renal clinic for evaluation of unexplained hyperkalaemia. She was seen by her primary care physician for a routine check up. . . . [Full Text of this Article]



   Discussion
 

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