Hyperkalemia Burden and Treatment Pathways in Patients with CKD: Findings From the DISCOVER CKD Retrospective Cohort

Abstract

Key Points Hyperkalemia (HK) is associated with increased comorbidity burden in patients with CKD.Reducing serum potassium levels after HK episodes helps continuation of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitor treatment.In Japan, HK treatment pathways are more heterogeneous and potassium binders are more commonly prescribed compared with the United Kingdom. Background This analysis used retrospective data from the DISCOVER CKD observational study (NCT04034992) to describe the burden of and treatment pathways for hyperkalemia (HK) in patients with CKD. Methods Data were extracted from the following databases: UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink (2008–2019) and Japan Medical Data Vision (2008–2017). Patients with CKD (two eGFR measures <75 ml/min per 1.73 m2 recorded ≥90 days apart) and HK (at least two serum potassium [sK+] measures >5.0 mmol/L) were compared with patients without HK (sK+ <5.0 mmol/L); HK index event was the second sK+ measurement. Outcomes included baseline characteristics and treatment pathways for key medications (renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors [RAASi], diuretics and potassium [K+] binders). Results In the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink, 37,713 patients with HK and 142,703 patients without HK were included for analysis (HK prevalence 20.9%). In the Japan Medical Data Vision, 5924 patients with HK and 74,272 patients without HK were included for analysis (HK prevalence 7.4%). In both databases, median eGFR was lower and comorbidities such as hypertension, heart failure, type 2 diabetes, and AKI were more prevalent among patients with versus without HK, and most patients were taking RAASi at the time of HK index. Treatment pathways were more heterogeneous in Japan; <0.2% of patients with CKD and HK in the United Kingdom initiated K+ binders within 3 months of HK index versus 18.7% in Japan. The proportions of patients with CKD and HK who stopped treatment with diuretics, K+ binders, and RAASi during follow-up were 48.7%, 76.5%, and 50.6%, respectively, in the United Kingdom, and 22.9%, 53.6%, and 29.2%, respectively, in Japan. Conclusions HK was associated with increased comorbidity burden in patients with CKD. Variations in treatment pathways between the United Kingdom and Japan reflect the previous lack of a standardized approach to HK management in CKD.