FREQUENCY OF HYPOKALEMIA IN CHILDREN WITH PERSISTENT DIARRHEA: A CROSS-SECTIONAL DESCRIPTIVE STUDY AT KHYBER TEACHING HOSPITAL, PESHAWAR
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Keywords
Diarrhea, Hypokalemia, Chronic diarrhea
Abstract
Background: One of the biggest causes of childhood illness and death in the globe today is still diarrhea. It happens when any of a variety of enteric microorganisms that might impair intestinal function invade the digestive system. An astounding 3 to 5 billion cases and about 2 million fatalities worldwide are caused by infectious diarrhea each year; the latter represents almost 20% of all pediatric mortality.2Of these diarrhea-related fatalities, 35% are attributable to acute watery diarrhea, 20% to dysentery, and 45% to persistent or chronic diarrhea.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of hypokalemia in children with persistent diarrhea.
Study Design: A Cross-sectional descriptive study.
Study Duration and Setting: Department of Pediatrics, Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar during the period from 5th January 2021 to 5th July 2021
MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was conducted at Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar, and included 229 pediatric patients with persistent diarrhea. Descriptive statistics recorded mean age (4.48 ± 2.44) and duration of diarrhea (2.22 ± 0.41). Hypokalemia frequency was observed in 31% of patients. Data were analyzed for age distribution and hypokalemia occurrence. The total sample size was 229 keeping proportion of hypokalemia 31% in children with persistent diarrhea, a confidence level 95% and margin of error 6%. Sampling Technique: Non probability consecutive sampling.
RESULTS: Frequency and percentages of Hypokalemia were recorded in 71 (31%) patients having persistent diarrhea whereas in remaining 158 (69%) no trances of hypokalemia were found. (Table No. 3).
CONCLUSION: Our analysis's findings indicated that children with diarrhea are significantly more likely to develop hypokalemia, as this study's findings indicate. It is advised to start the first dose of parental antibiotics early and to supplement with potassium in order to reduce the likelihood of mortality.
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Ijaz Ahmad
Experiential Registrar, Department of Pediatrics, Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar
Abdul Khaliq
Assistant Professor Department of Pediatrics, Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar
Amna Azmat
1st Year, Pharm D, Department of Pharmacy, University of Peshawar
S. Mohsin Ali Shah
PGR, Department of Pediatrics, Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar