Fasting serum potassium and long-term mortality in healthy men
Abstract Background Serum potassium levels have been positively associated with cardiovascular mortality, but little is known about the association with cancer mortality and death due to other causes. We examined whether serum levels of potassium were associated with long-term mortality in a healthy...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2021-04-01
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| Series: | BMC Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-10738-4 |
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| author | Ragnhild S. Falk Trude Eid Robsahm Jan Erik Paulsen Tanja Stocks Isabel Drake Trond Heir |
| author_facet | Ragnhild S. Falk Trude Eid Robsahm Jan Erik Paulsen Tanja Stocks Isabel Drake Trond Heir |
| author_sort | Ragnhild S. Falk |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Serum potassium levels have been positively associated with cardiovascular mortality, but little is known about the association with cancer mortality and death due to other causes. We examined whether serum levels of potassium were associated with long-term mortality in a healthy cohort. Methods Oslo Ischemia Study invited 2341 initially healthy men aged 40–59 years with no use of medication to a comprehensive health survey in 1972. Fasting serum level of potassium (mmol/L) was ascertained at baseline for 1989 men. We have complete follow-up for death throughout 2017. Cox proportional hazard models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and adjusted for multiple confounders. Results After a median follow-up of 30 years (interquartile range 21.2–38.7), 1736 deaths were observed, of which 494 were cancer deaths, 688 cardiovascular deaths, and 536 deaths related to other causes. Restricted cubic spline analysis showed that potassium level was linearly and positively associated with long-term cancer mortality; HR per mmol/L 1.8, 95% CI 1.4–2.4. Compared with low levels of potassium (≤ 4.0 mmol/L), men with high levels (≥4.6 mmol/L) showed a significantly 78% higher risk of cancer death. A positive linear association was found for all-cause mortality (HR per mmol/L 1.6, 95% CI 1.4–1.8), and for cardiovascular (HR per mmol/L 1.4, 95% CI 1.1–1.7) and other cause mortality (HR per mmol/L 1.7, 95% CI 1.3–2.2). Conclusions These findings suggest that serum potassium level appears to predict long-term mortality in healthy middle-aged men, and it might imply future surveillance strategies for individuals with high serum potassium levels. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T21:36:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-70693d5ecd854937b39e176de3282ecf |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T21:36:18Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-70693d5ecd854937b39e176de3282ecf2022-12-21T18:49:28ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582021-04-012111910.1186/s12889-021-10738-4Fasting serum potassium and long-term mortality in healthy menRagnhild S. Falk0Trude Eid Robsahm1Jan Erik Paulsen2Tanja Stocks3Isabel Drake4Trond Heir5Oslo Centre for Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Oslo University HospitalDepartment of Research, Cancer registry of Norway, Institute of Population Based Cancer ResearchDepartment of Food Safety and Infection Biology, Norwegian University of Life SciencesDepartment of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund UniversityDepartment of Clinical Sciences in Malmö, Lund UniversityInstitute of Clinical Medicine, University of OsloAbstract Background Serum potassium levels have been positively associated with cardiovascular mortality, but little is known about the association with cancer mortality and death due to other causes. We examined whether serum levels of potassium were associated with long-term mortality in a healthy cohort. Methods Oslo Ischemia Study invited 2341 initially healthy men aged 40–59 years with no use of medication to a comprehensive health survey in 1972. Fasting serum level of potassium (mmol/L) was ascertained at baseline for 1989 men. We have complete follow-up for death throughout 2017. Cox proportional hazard models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and adjusted for multiple confounders. Results After a median follow-up of 30 years (interquartile range 21.2–38.7), 1736 deaths were observed, of which 494 were cancer deaths, 688 cardiovascular deaths, and 536 deaths related to other causes. Restricted cubic spline analysis showed that potassium level was linearly and positively associated with long-term cancer mortality; HR per mmol/L 1.8, 95% CI 1.4–2.4. Compared with low levels of potassium (≤ 4.0 mmol/L), men with high levels (≥4.6 mmol/L) showed a significantly 78% higher risk of cancer death. A positive linear association was found for all-cause mortality (HR per mmol/L 1.6, 95% CI 1.4–1.8), and for cardiovascular (HR per mmol/L 1.4, 95% CI 1.1–1.7) and other cause mortality (HR per mmol/L 1.7, 95% CI 1.3–2.2). Conclusions These findings suggest that serum potassium level appears to predict long-term mortality in healthy middle-aged men, and it might imply future surveillance strategies for individuals with high serum potassium levels.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-10738-4CancerCell proliferationMortalityPotassium levelsProspective cohort study |
| spellingShingle | Ragnhild S. Falk Trude Eid Robsahm Jan Erik Paulsen Tanja Stocks Isabel Drake Trond Heir Fasting serum potassium and long-term mortality in healthy men BMC Public Health Cancer Cell proliferation Mortality Potassium levels Prospective cohort study |
| title | Fasting serum potassium and long-term mortality in healthy men |
| title_full | Fasting serum potassium and long-term mortality in healthy men |
| title_fullStr | Fasting serum potassium and long-term mortality in healthy men |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fasting serum potassium and long-term mortality in healthy men |
| title_short | Fasting serum potassium and long-term mortality in healthy men |
| title_sort | fasting serum potassium and long term mortality in healthy men |
| topic | Cancer Cell proliferation Mortality Potassium levels Prospective cohort study |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-10738-4 |
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