Bernier-Jean A, Wong G, Saglimbene V, et al. - In patients receiving hemodialysis, higher dietary consumption of potassium is not linked with hyperkalemia or death.

• In the DIET-HD study (DIETary intake, death and hospitalization in adults with end-stage kidney disease treated with HemoDialysis study), 8,043 adults receiving maintenance hemodialysis in Europe and South America were included to examine the link between dietary potassium intake and mortality.

• At baseline, median potassium intake was 3.5 (interquartile range, 2.5–5.0) g/d.

• Dietary potassium consumption was not related to all-cause death (per 1 g/d higher dietary potassium intake: hazard ratio, 1.00), post-adjusting for baseline characteristics.

• There was no link of potassium intake with mortality, either through or independent of serum potassium, as evident in mediation analysis (hazard ratios, 1.00 and 1.01, respectively).

• No significant association of potassium intake was found with serum levels or with the prevalence of hyperkalemia (≥6.0 mEq/L) at baseline (odds ratio, 1.11 per 1 g/d higher dietary potassium intake).

• A link was found between hyperkalemia and cardiovascular death (hazard ratio, 1.23).