Pseudohypokalaemia and pseudohypoxaemia in a patient with acute myeloid leukaemia
Date
2020
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
African Association of Nephrology
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Spurious laboratory results are frequently encountered in patients with haematological disorders and lead to
unnecessary additional laboratory investigations and inappropriate treatment. An 80-year-old woman, known
with acute myeloid leukaemia, was admitted with suspected sepsis. Laboratory tests revealed a leukocyte count of
358 x 109/L, serum potassium concentration of 2.6 mmol/L and partial pressure of arterial oxygen of 5.3 kPa.
The patient did not display any clinical or electrocardiographic features of hypokalaemia and there were no signs
of respiratory distress. A diagnosis of pseudohypokalaemia and pseudohypoxaemia was made and inappropriate
therapeutic interventions were avoided. Pseudohypokalaemia and pseudohypoxaemia should always be a
consideration in patients with hyperleukocytosis due to haematological malignancies, especially when there are no
clinical features to support these findings. The inappropriate administration of potassium in such cases may cause
serious cardiac arrythmias.
Description
CITATION: Chothia, M. Y. & Davids, M. R. 2020. Pseudohypokalaemia and pseudohypoxaemia in a patient with acute myeloid leukaemia. African Journal of Nephrology, 23(1):15-18, doi:10.21804/23-1-3855.
The original publication is available at http://www.journals.ac.za/index.php/ajn/
The original publication is available at http://www.journals.ac.za/index.php/ajn/
Keywords
Pseudohypokalaemia, Potassium -- Metabolism -- Disorders, Pseudohypoxaemia, Oxygen deficiency in the blood, Leukaemia, Spurious laboratory tests
Citation
Chothia, M. Y. & Davids, M. R. 2020. Pseudohypokalaemia and pseudohypoxaemia in a patient with acute myeloid leukaemia. African Journal of Nephrology, 23(1):15-18, doi:10.21804/23-1-3855