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Published on: July 20, 2016
Reverse pseudohyperkalemia and pseudohyponatremia in a patient with B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma
Gustavo Moreno1, Ian L Gunsolus1
1Department of Pathology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States.
Objectives:
Investigate concomitant and spurious high potassium and low sodium results in heparinized plasma.
Methods:
Potassium and sodium values were measured from heparinized plasma and serum in a patient with B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma using both an automated chemistry analyzer (indirect ion selective electrode) and blood gas analyzer (direct ion selective electrode).
Results:
Potassium levels were significantly increased while sodium levels were significantly decreased in heparinized plasma compared to serum on several occasions.
Conclusions:
To our knowledge, concomitant reverse pseudohyperkalemia and pseudohyponatremia has not been reported previously. We postulate the discrepancy between plasma and serum sodium (pseudohyponatremia in plasma) may be unique to cases of reverse pseudohyperkalemia with extreme potassium elevations.
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