Increased serum potassium and intraventricular hemorrhage revisited.

BACKGROUND

Increased serum potassium and intraventricular hemorrhage occur frequently in preterm infants.

OBJECTIVE

To retrospectively analyze data obtained on infants with severe IVH in relation to blood K+ concentrations.

METHODS

We identified all patients with severe IVH bom between July 1997 and July 2000. Each patient was pair-matched with a control infant of the same gestational age (+/- 1 week) without IVH in terms of head ultrasound findings on day 5 and whole blood K+ on days 3-5.

RESULTS

There were 24 infants in each group. The IVH group had significantly lower 1 minute Apgar scores and pH and higher blood K+ than the control group. Blood pH and K+ were inversely correlated. Stepwise regression analysis, taking into account blood pH and 1 minute Apgar score, showed a correlation only between blood K+ and IVH status.

CONCLUSIONS

Severe IVH is significantly associated with higher blood K+ concentrations. A causal relationship cannot be ascertained at this point.