Potassium management in pediatric peritoneal dialysis patients: can a diet with increased potassium maintain a normal serum potassium without a potassium supplement?

Hypokalemia can result from an absence of cellular redistribution accompanied by low serum potassium levels, which can be secondary to inadequate dietary intake, external losses (for example, through the gut or skin), or renal losses. However, low serum potassium secondary to low potassium ingestion usually occurs after an extended period of low oral potassium intake. Also, increased renal potassium excretion can be the result of magnesium deficiency. As compared with pediatric patients on hemodialysis, patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD) are at increased risk of hypokalemia because of the greater filtration of potassium in PD. At the same time, 90% of pediatric dialysis patients under the age of 8 years are on PD.