Patient outcomes and disposition by treatment group
| Patient outcomes | Ringer’s lactate (n=25) | Normal saline (n=27) | Total (n=52) |
| Time to DKA resolution, hours (median (IQR))* | 15.7 (10.4–18.8) | 12.7 (7.9–19.2) | 13.9 (8.8–18.9) |
| Acute kidney injury in ED/ICU/inpatient unit, n (%)† | 4 (16.0) | 3 (11.1) | 7 (13.5) |
| Major adverse kidney event within 30 days of ED presentation, n (%)‡ | 4 (16.0) | 2 (7.4) | 6 (11.5) |
| Hyperkalaemia in ED/ICU/inpatient unit, n (%)§ | 12 (48.0) | 5 (18.5) | 17 (32.7) |
| Received treatments for hyperkalaemia: calcium chloride, calcium gluconate, sodium polystyrene sulfonate, furosemide, and/or salbutamol | 5 (20.0) | 2 (7.4) | 7 (13.5) |
| Hypokalaemia in ED/ICU/inpatient unit, n (%)¶ | 12 (48.0) | 7 (25.9) | 19 (36.5) |
| Received potassium therapy | 11 (44.0) | 5 (18.5) | 16 (30.8) |
| ED length of stay, hours (mean±SD) | 7.6±3.4 | 8.5±4.7 | 8.1±4.1 |
| Patients admitted, n (%) | 24 (96.0) | 18 (66.7) | 42 (80.8) |
| ICU admission, n (%) | 1 (4.0) | 1 (3.7) | 2 (3.8) |
| ICU length of stay, days (mean±SD) | 4 | 1 | 2.5±2.1 |
| Total hospital length of stay, days (median (IQR)) | 3.3 (2.0–6.1) | 1.4 (0.3–5.8) | 2.2 (0.8–5.7) |
| Intubation in hospital, n (%) | 2 (8.0) | 0 (0.0) | 2 (3.8) |
| Seizure in hospital, n (%) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) |
SD (not included if n ≤1).
*Laboratory evidence of DKA resolution was only documented in 44 of 52 (84.6%) participants as some patients had bloodwork stopped prior to meeting our predefined specific study criteria of resolution.
†Stage 2 or greater—defined as serum creatinine increase >200% from baseline or <0.5 mL/kg/hour urine output for <12 hours.
‡Includes: final serum creatinine ≥200% baseline at earliest hospital discharge or 30 days after ED presentation, renal replacement therapy (dialysis), and/or death.
§Serum potassium concentration >5.0 mmol/L at any moment during hospital stay.
¶Serum potassium concentration <3.5 mmol/L at any moment during hospital stay.
DKA, diabetic ketoacidosis; ICU, intensive care unit.