KBindER: Comparison of Potassium Binders in the ER
Study Details
Study Description
Brief Summary
Compare efficacy of 3 oral potassium binders (cation exchange resins) on lowering blood potassium, in patients presenting to the Emergency Room with acute hyperkalemia.
| Condition or Disease | Intervention/Treatment | Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Phase 4 |
Detailed Description
Adult patients presenting to the Emergency Room at UC Irvine with plasma potassium >5.5 mEq/L (who meet inclusion/exclusion criteria and provide written informed consent) will be randomized to a one-time dose of one of the following oral medications:
-
Sodium polystyrene sulfate (SPS)
-
Patiromer (Veltassa)
-
Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate (Lokelma)
-
Nonspecific laxative: polyethylene glycol 3350 (MiraLax)
Participants will receive standard-of-care hyperkalemia therapy as well.
Blood potassium will be checked at 2 and 4 hours after dose of study drug. Participants will complete a symptom and palatability questionnaire at 4 hours.
The purpose of this research study is to determine the effects of various potassium binders (SPS, patiromer, zirconium) vs a non-specific laxative (MiraLax) in the Emergency Room for patients found to have elevated blood potassium > 5.5 mEq/L. Hyperkalemia is a fairly common electrolyte disorder with varying levels of severity. Moderate hyperkalemia is in the range 5.5-5.9 mEq/L while severe hyperkalemia is ≥6.0 mEq/L or if patient is symptomatic: muscle weakness/paralysis or with EKG changes (e.g., peaked T waves, widening QRS, arrhythmias including ventricular fibrillation or asystole). Hyperkalemia is most commonly associated with kidney insufficiency, metabolic acidosis, and the use of medications such as renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors.
In an emergency, the main goal is to reverse adverse cardiac effects and shift potassium into cells using interventions such as insulin/glucose and albuterol. However, these are only temporary measures. To remove potassium from the body, agents or interventions that may be used include cation exchange resins (potassium binders), loop diuretics, or dialysis. For over 50 years the only available oral cation exchange resin has been sodium polystyrene sulfonate. In recent years, two new agents (patiromer and zirconium) have been approved by the FDA for chronic management of hyperkalemia.
The cation exchange resins have not been studied head-to-head for acute hyperkalemia. This is a critical knowledge gap since acute hyperkalemia poses a significant burden on the healthcare system. In claims data analysis of 80,000 patients, half with hyperkalemia and half without, the patients with hyperkalemia had 4 times higher rate of inpatient admissions, 7 times longer average length of stay, and 30-day hospital readmission rate 14.21% vs 9.86% in the non-hyperkalemia cohort. The findings from our study will help inform decision-making guidelines for the treatment of acute hyperkalemia.
Study Design
Arms and Interventions
| Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
|---|---|
| Experimental: Polyethylene glycol 3350 (MiraLax) Participants will be randomized to one of four study arms. They will receive one dose of the study drug. One study arm is the nonspecific laxative MiraLax (one dose of 17g). Since constipation can contribute to hyperkalemia, this arm will study the effect of treating constipation instead of direct cation exchange for potassium in the gut. |
Drug: Polyethylene Glycol 3350
Nonspecific laxative comparison group.
Other Names:
|
| Experimental: Sodium polystyrene sulfonate (Kayexalate) Participants will be randomized to one of four study arms. They will receive one dose of the study drug. The potassium binder drugs of interest include sodium polystyrene sulfonate (one dose of 30g), patiromer (one dose of 25.2g), and sodium zirconium cyclosilicate (one dose of 15g). |
Drug: Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate Oral Suspension [SPS]
Potassium binder to treat hyperkalemia.
Other Names:
|
| Experimental: Patiromer (Veltassa) Participants will be randomized to one of four study arms. They will receive one dose of the study drug. The potassium binder drugs of interest include sodium polystyrene sulfonate (one dose of 30g), patiromer (one dose of 25.2g), and sodium zirconium cyclosilicate (one dose of 15g). |
Drug: Patiromer
Potassium binder to treat hyperkalemia.
Other Names:
|
| Experimental: Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate (Lokelma) Participants will be randomized to one of four study arms. They will receive one dose of the study drug. The potassium binder drugs of interest include sodium polystyrene sulfonate (one dose of 30g), patiromer (one dose of 25.2g), and sodium zirconium cyclosilicate (one dose of 15g). |
Drug: Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate
Potassium binder to treat hyperkalemia.
Other Names:
|
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcome Measures
- Change in blood potassium level [Plasma potassium level measured at 2 and 4 hours after study drug was administered]
The investigators will compare the change in blood potassium after administration of the study drug, in the acute setting.
Secondary Outcome Measures
- Length of ER or hospital stay [Up to 60 days after study drug was administered]
The investigators will compare length of ER or hospital stay associated with each study drug, obtained from medical chart review.
- Change in calcium, phosphorus and magnesium [Measured at 2 and 4 hours after study drug was administered]
The investigators will compare the effect of each study drug on blood calcium, phosphorus and magnesium levels, in the acute setting.
- Dialysis yes/no within 8 hours [Within 8 hours of study drug being administered]
The investigators will assess whether dialysis was needed to manage hyperkalemia, and whether dialysis requirement was affected by the study drug given. This will be assessed from medical chart review.
- Palatability and side effects (patient subjective rating) [4 hours after study drug was administered]
Participants will complete a 1-page brief survey assessing for potential study drug side effects including bloating, nausea, diarrhea and palpitations (answers are yes/no). Participants will also rate the palatability of the study drug using a 1-5 scale, with 5 being the best score (most palatable and easy to swallow).
Eligibility Criteria
Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
-
Plasma potassium > 5.5 mEq/L
-
Age ≥18 years
-
Patient able to provide written informed consent
Exclusion Criteria:
-
Recent bowel surgery
-
Ileus or bowel obstruction
-
Pseudohyperkalemia signs and symptoms, such as excessive fist clenching, hemolyzed blood specimen, severe leukocytosis or thrombocytosis
-
Pregnancy
-
Active psychiatric disorder
-
Diabetic ketoacidosis or hyperkalemia caused by any condition for which a therapy directed against the underlying cause of hyperkalemia would be a better treatment option
-
Dialysis session expected within 4 hours after randomization
-
History of hypersensitivity to sodium polystyrene sulfonate resin or patiromer
-
Concurrent use of sorbitol (due to increased risk of intestinal necrosis when used with sodium polystyrene sulfonate)
Contacts and Locations
Locations
| Site | City | State | Country | Postal Code | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California, Irvine Medical Center | Orange | California | United States | 92868 |
Sponsors and Collaborators
- University of California, Irvine
Investigators
None specified.Study Documents (Full-Text)
None provided.More Information
Publications
- Betts KA, Woolley JM, Mu F, Xiang C, Tang W, Wu EQ. The Cost of Hyperkalemia in the United States. Kidney Int Rep. 2017 Nov 14;3(2):385-393. doi: 10.1016/j.ekir.2017.11.003. eCollection 2018 Mar.
- Leon SJ, Harasemiw O, Tangri N. New therapies for hyperkalemia. Curr Opin Nephrol Hypertens. 2019 May;28(3):238-244. doi: 10.1097/MNH.0000000000000500. Review.
- HS# 2020-5780