Hypokalemia is uncommon in patients treated with the potassium binder patiromer for up to 90 days, according to results from a “real-world” study presented at the National Kidney Foundation’s 2019 Spring Clinical Meetings in Boston.
Of 1166 hemodialysis patients with hyperkalemia (median age 60 years; 56% male; 36% white; 35% Hispanic) who initiated patiromer at a large dialysis organization in the United States, hypokalemia occurred in 0.6%, 0.5%, and 0.9% at month 1, 2, and 3, respectively, after starting on patiromer. The event rate was 0.01 events per person-month. The mean time to the first drop in serum potassium to less than 3.5 mEq/L was 47 days.
“These results are consistent with hypokalemia rates in other clinical trials and observational studies of patiromer in HD patients and those with chronic kidney disease,” lead author Csaba P. Kovesdy, MD, of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, stated.
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The study was funded by Relypsa, the makers of patiromer (Veltassa).
Reference
Kovesdy CP, Rowan CG, Leonberg-Yoo A, et al. Real-world evaluation of potassium levels in hemodialysis patients initiating treatment with patiromer. Abstract presented at the National Kidney Foundation’s 2019 Spring Clinical Meetings in Boston, May 8-12, 2019. Abstract 322.
