Correcting hypokalaemia in a paediatric patient with Bartter syndrome through oral dose of potassium chloride intravenous solution

Salman Alasfour, Haya S. Alfailakawi, Yousif A. Shamsaldeen

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Bartter syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by hypokalaemia. Hypokalaemia is defined as low serum potassium concentration ˂3.5 mmol/L, which may lead to arrhythmia and death if left untreated. The aim of this case report was to normalize serum potassium concentration without the need for intravenous intervention. A 5-month-old male of 2.7 kg body weight diagnosed with Bartter syndrome was admitted to the general paediatric ward with acute severe hypokalaemia and urinary tract infection. The main challenge was the inability to administer drugs through intravenous route due to compromised body size. Therefore, we shifted the route of administration to the nasogastric tube/oral route. A total of 2 mL of concentrated intravenous potassium chloride (4 mEq potassium) were dissolved in distilled water and administered through nasogastric tube. Serum potassium concentration was rapidly normalized, which culminated in patient discharge. In conclusion, shifting drug administration from intravenous to oral route in a paediatric patient with Bartter syndrome includes numerous advantages such as patient convenience, minimized risk of cannula-induced infection, and reduced nurse workload.

Original languageEnglish
JournalSAGE Open Medical Case Reports
Volume9
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 30 May 2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: The authors received financial support from Kuwait Pharmaceutical Association (KUPHA) for the publication of this article.

Funding Information:
The authors acknowledge Kuwait Hospital management for their support and cooperation during the COVID-19 pandemic, nursing staff in the paediatric ward for their cooperation and continuous help and support in managing this case, and Kuwait-Al Adan Joint Hospital pharmacy staff for their support. The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: The authors received financial support from Kuwait Pharmaceutical Association (KUPHA) for the publication of this article.

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2021.

Keywords

  • Bartter syndrome
  • case report
  • hypokalaemia
  • kidney
  • paediatrics

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Correcting hypokalaemia in a paediatric patient with Bartter syndrome through oral dose of potassium chloride intravenous solution'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this