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 born 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.