Metabolic syndrome/Addendum

Abstract by Sharma et al. cited in Main Aricle

Abstract

Low Dietary Potassium Intake Is Associated with an Increased Risk of Metabolic Syndrome in US Adults

Shailendra Sharma, MD, M. Chonchol, MD, Jessica B. Kendrick, MD. University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO; Denver Health Medical Center, Denver, CO.

Background: High dietary potassium intake decreases blood pressure levels and decreases the risk of cardiovascular disease but the relationship between potassium intake and metabolic syndrome (MetS) has not been examined.

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999-2007). A total of 25,754 US adult participants with dietary data were included in the analysis. Dietary potassium intake was calculated from 24-hour dietary recall obtained by trained interviewers.

Potassium intake was examined in quartiles 1-4 (≤1701 [≤43.5], 1702-2415 [43.5-61.8], 2416-3290 [61.8-84.1], >3290 [>84.1] (mg/day [mmol/day]).

The primary outcome was MetS defined according to recent guidelines from the National Cholesterol Education Program. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to examine the association between potassium intake and MetS.

Results: The mean (SE) age of participants was 45 (0.3) years. The mean (SE) potassium intake was 2718 (18) mg/day. Participants in the lowest quartile of potassium intake were more likely to be female, to be black, and to have lower years of education than subjects in the higher quartiles of potassium intake.

6,118 (23.8%) participants met the diagnostic criteria for MetS. Subjects with MetS were older, had higher systolic blood pressure and lower estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) than subjects without MetS.

After adjustment for age, sex, race, smoking status, body mass index, eGFR, and serum albumin, subjects in the first quartile of potassium intake had a 35% increased risk of MetS compared to subjects in the fourth quartile (OR 1.35, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 1.16 to 1.57). Subjects in the second quartile of potassium intake also had an increased risk of MetS compared to subjects in the fourth quartile (OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.40).

Conclusions:

· Low dietary potassium intake is associated with an increased risk of metabolic syndrome in US adults.

· Interventional studies are needed to determine if increasing dietary potassium intake reduces the risk of metabolic syndrome.

Funding: NIDDK Support

Course: Annual Meeting: Abstract Sessions, 2012 Session: Fluid, Electrolyte, and Acid-Base Disorders Date/Time: Friday, November 2, 2012 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM Room: Exhibit Halls A, B, C

Individual author disclosures are available in the Kidney Week 2012 Disclosure Digest which is available to each meeting participant or upon request in November.