Potassium in urine
(k)

Sample type

Urine (24 hour)

Random urine

Uses

Evaluation of patients with unexplained hypokalemia, electrolyte, and acid– base balance.

Precautions

If the specimen is 24 hour urine collection the instruction should be follow

24-hour urine collection instructions

• On day 1, urinate into the toilet when you get up in the morning.

• Afterward, collect all urine in a special container for the next 24 hours.

• On day 2, urinate into the container when you get up in the morning.

• Cap the container. Keep it in the refrigerator or a cool place during the collection period.

• Label the container with your name, the date, the time of completion, and return it as instructed.

Interfering factors

-Urinary potassium may be elevated with dietary (food and/or medicinal).

-increase in hyperaldosteronism, renal tubular acidosis, onset of alkalosis, and with other disorders.

Pre-analytical errors

1-if the container that the patient collect the urine in it unlabeled with his name and date and the time that he collect the urine during it.

2-The patient’s history has not been taken carefully and therefore there is information that needs to

The corrective actions

1-If the patient forgets the date and time, you should reject this sample and ask about another one. But if he knows the date and time, you can let him label the container with this information.

2-You must communicate with the patient and know all the information you need. And in the next time the history of the patient should be taken carefully.

Post-analytical errors

1-Writing a wrong result or wrong name in the report

2-If the patient’s gender is written wrong in the report, the reference range was written incorrectly

3-report were sent to incorrect patient

The corrective actions

1-If the report is not delivered to the patient and this error is discovered, the correct result or the correct name must be written, but if the report is delivered to the patient, you must communicate with the patient, apologise to him, and tell him that an error has occurred and replace it with the correct report.

2-If the report is not delivered to the patient and this error is discovered, fix it, but if the report is delivered to the patient, apologise to him, tell him that an error has occurred, and replace it with the correct report. And next time, Be careful when you write down the gender and reference range.

3-Communicate with patient ,apologizing for the error, and providing him with the correct report

Reference range

Twenty-four–hour urine:

Male:

Less than 10 years: 17–54 mmol/day

10-14 years: 22–57 mmol/day

Greater than 14 years: 25–125 mmol/day

Female:

6-10 years: 8–37 mmol/day

10-14 years: 18–58 mmol/day

Greater than 14 years: 25–125 mmol/day

Random urine:

Male: 13–116 mmol/g creatinine

Female: 8–129 mmol/g creatinine