Effects of hypokalemia on clinical outcomes in hospitalized patients with Covid-19 pneumonia.

Purpose: We investigated the effects of hypokalemia on clinical outcomes in hospitalized patients with Covid-19 pneumonia. Materials and Methods: In this single-center retrospective study, we recorded characteristics of hospitalized covid-19 pneumonia patients and laboratory test results on the first hospital day. Duration of hospitalization, requiring intensive care including mechanical ventilation and survival, were determined. Results: Our study included 185 patients and of them 111 male (60% male) patients with mean age of 64 ± 14.5 (23- 90). Patients were grouped as hypokalemic (16.8%) and normokalemic patients (83.2%). The number of diabetic patients was higher in the normokalemic group. Serum total protein and albumin levels were lower in hypokalemic group, while alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, blood pH and bicarbonate level were higher. In multiple logistic regression analyses, alkalosis increased risk of hypokalemia 5.73 times. Duration of hospitalization, requirement of intensive care and hospital mortality were similar in hypokalemia and normokalemia patients. Conclusion: In patients with Covid-19 pneumonia, hypokalemia has been found to be quite common as high as 16.8% at the first presentation. Hypokalemia was related to metabolic alkalosis but unrelated to the duration of hospitalization, requirement of intensive care including mechanical ventilation and hospital mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]