The frequency of hyperkalemia and its significance in chronic kidney disease.

Background: Hyperkalemia is a potential threat to patient safety in chronic kidney disease (CKD). This study determined the incidence of hyperkalemia in CKD and whether it is associated with excess mortality.

Methods: This retrospective analysis of a national cohort comprised 2 103 422 records from 245 808 veterans with at least 1 hospitalization and at least 1 inpatient or outpatient serum potassium record during the fiscal year 2005.

Frequency of hypoglycemia and its significance in chronic kidney disease.

Background And Objectives: This study set out to determine the incidence of hypoglycemia in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), with and without diabetes, and the association of hypoglycemia with mortality.

Design, Setting, Participants, & Measurements: This was a retrospective cohort analysis of 243,222 patients who had 2,040,206 glucose measurements and were cared for at the Veterans Health Administration. CKD was defined as an estimated GFR of <60 ml/min per 1.

Chronic kidney disease adversely influences patient safety.

Reducing medical errors and improving patient safety have become a national priority. Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) may be at higher risk for adverse consequences of medical care, but few studies have evaluated this question. Here, data for patients hospitalized in the Veteran's Health Administration during 2004 to 2005 was analyzed to conduct a cross-sectional study of CKD and adverse safety events.

The relationship between dialysis performance measures: adequacy and anemia management.

Background: Little is known about how urea reduction ratio (URR) and hemoglobin (Hb) level relate as clinical performance measures (CPMs) in dialysis facilities. This study examined the relationship between these CPMs as a reflection of underlying processes.

Study Design: Cross-sectional observational.

Center effects in anemia management of dialysis patients.

This study set out to determine whether there is a center effect on anemia management in hemodialysis patients. The US Renal Data System and Medicare standard analysis files were analyzed. Between-center variation and within-facility correlations in hematocrit values were examined in two separate data sets (years 2000 and 2001) and compared with simulated samples that were composed of random values that assumed no center effect.