5 Versus 10 Units of Insulin in Hyperkalemia Management

NCT ID: NCT06036823

Last Updated: 2025-12-22

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

PHASE4

Total Enrollment

384 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2023-10-01

Study Completion Date

2025-09-30

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

The goal of this study is to compare 5 units of intravenous Regular insulin to 10 units of intravenous regular insulin in the management of hyperkalemia. We will measure the efficacy of these 2 doses of insulin in reducing hyperkalemia at 2 hours from administration using the main laboratory serum values.

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

Introduction: Hyperkalaemia is a serum Potassium (K) level of more than 5.5 mEq/L. It is a common emergency medicine presentation and can be life-threatening. Because of the emergency in correcting hyperkalemia, different medications are used to reduce high potassium levels to normal as soon as possible. Salbutamol inhalers, Glucose solutions, and Insulin are the main medications for managing hyperkalemia. Insulin and Dextrose shift potassium ions into body cells by stimulating the sodium/potassium ATP pump. Its effect starts in less than fifteen minutes and can last up to sixty minutes. It usually reduces potassium up to 1.1 mEq/l. There are different recommendations for Insulin dose and rate of administration for patients with hyperkalemia.

Method: This will be a multi-center, prospective, double-blind, non-inferiority, randomized control trial. 336 hyperkalemia patients will be randomized to the intervention group 5 units of intravenous Regular insulin and 10 units of intravenous insulin groups with fifty ml of Dextrose Fifty percent. They will be enrolled once their potassium level is 5.5mEq/L or more. The attending physician and patient will be blinded about the dose of insulin that the patient received. Serum potassium will be measured at 0 and at 120 minutes from the start of the medications. Random blood glucose will be measured at 0, 60, and 120 minutes by Glucometer. The safety of our patients will be assessed by documentation of all adverse events, vital signs, and clinical assessment before and after drug administration. The study will end at 2 hours from insulin administration.

Aim: Our research idea aims to compare two recommended doses of Insulin (5 Units vs. 10 Units of Regular insulin given intravenously over thirty minutes) in the management of patients with hyperkalemia.

Primary objective: Mean reduction in serum potassium level using the main laboratory results at two hours from medication administration.

Secondary objectives: effect of initial (baseline) potassium level on the mean potassium reduction, and frequency of hypoglycemia between the 2 groups. Does the initial (baseline) blood glucose level will affect the function of insulin/dextrose in lowering potassium levels?

Patient Population: Adult patients (Aged 18 years and older) who present to the Emergency department at Sultan Qaboos University, Royal Hospital and Sohar hospital for evaluation and are found to have potassium levels of 5.5 mEq/L and above.

Intervention: Single dose of 5 units of intravenous insulin over 30 minutes with 50 ml of Dextrose 50%.

Clinical Measurement: Mean reduction of potassium level using the main laboratory results at 2 hours from insulin/dextrose administration. Hypoglycemia will be followed by a bedside glucometer.

Outcome: reduction of potassium level at 2 hours from medication administration and medication safety.

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

Hyperkalemia Potassium Imbalance Electrolyte Imbalance Electrolyte Disturbance

Keywords

Explore important study keywords that can help with search, categorization, and topic discovery.

insulin hyperkalemia hypoglycmiea anti-hyperkalemia electrolytes abnormalities

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

FACTORIAL

the study group will receive 5 units of intravenous insulin control group will receive 10 unites of IV insulin
Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

TRIPLE

Participants Caregivers Investigators
after consent. the care provider will take an envelope and give it to the nurse in charge of that patient without looking for the dose of insulin. as the same time will take the randomization code and stick it to the data collection sheet of that patient.

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

10 units of intravenous R insulin

Will Receive:

IV Insulin Regular 10 units with Dextrose 50 % 50 ml over 30 minutes. Salbutamol 10 mg nebulization over 15 minutes.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Insulin regular

Intervention Type DRUG

Intravenous insulin

Dextrose 50

Intervention Type DRUG

to be given to both arms

salbutamol

Intervention Type DRUG

to be given to all patients

5 units of intravenous R insulin

Will receive:

IV Insulin Regular 5 units with Dextrose 50 % 50 ml over 30 minutes. Salbutamol 10 mg Nebulization over 15 minutes.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Insulin regular

Intervention Type DRUG

Intravenous insulin

Dextrose 50

Intervention Type DRUG

to be given to both arms

salbutamol

Intervention Type DRUG

to be given to all patients

Interventions

Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.

Insulin regular

Intravenous insulin

Intervention Type DRUG

Dextrose 50

to be given to both arms

Intervention Type DRUG

salbutamol

to be given to all patients

Intervention Type DRUG

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

* Hyperkalemia patients with lab potassium levels equal to or more than 5.5 mEq/L (≥ 5.5 mEq/L)+.
* Adult: age 18 years or more.
* Agreed to participate in the study.

* If an investigator decides to start anti-hyperkalemia medications based on the VBG/ABG patient can be enrolled but if the main laboratory value is less than 5.5 mEq/L patients will be excluded

Exclusion Criteria

* Cardiac arrest
* Hyperglycemia with random blood sugar 20 mmol/L (13) or with acute diabetic complications like Diabetic Ketoacidosis / Hyperosmolar Hyperglycemic State.
* Hypoglycemia with random blood sugar (RBS) ≤ 3.89 mmol/l in Diabetic patients and less than 3 mmol/l in non-diabetic patients.
* Allergies for any medication in the protocol.
* Pregnancy.
* Hemolyzed potassium level as reported by the main lab.
* Hemolysis, Tumor lysis syndrome, or Rhabdomyolysis due to the ongoing release of potassium.
* Acidosis with a pH less than 7.1 will require Sodium bicarbonate (NaHO3).
* A patient who will need urgent Furosemide (Lasix), and or dialysis during the study period of 2 hours.
* Refused to participate.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.

Sultan Qaboos University

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Oman Medical Speciality Board

OTHER_GOV

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.

Adnan Al-Ajmi

Doctor

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Learn about the lead researchers overseeing the trial and their institutional affiliations.

Suad Al-Abri

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Sultan Qaboos University hospital

Locations

Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.

Sultan Qaboos University hospital

Seeb, Muḩāfaz̧at Masqaţ, Oman

Site Status

Countries

Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.

Oman

References

Explore related publications, articles, or registry entries linked to this study.

Verdier M, DeMott JM, Peksa GD. A comparison of insulin doses for treatment of hyperkalaemia in intensive care unit patients with renal insufficiency. Aust Crit Care. 2022 May;35(3):258-263. doi: 10.1016/j.aucc.2021.05.004. Epub 2021 Jun 21.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 34167889 (View on PubMed)

Ron M. Walls, MD. Hyperkalemia. Rosen emergency medince Concepts and Clinical practice. 9th. Philadelphia : Elsevier, 2018, 117, pp. 1516 - 1519.

Reference Type BACKGROUND

Judith E. Tintinalli, MD, MS. Hyperkalemia. Tintinalli's Emergency Medicine a comprehensive study guide. 9th. s.l. : McGraw-Hill Education, 2020, 17, p. 89.

Reference Type BACKGROUND

McNicholas BA, Pham MH, Carli K, Chen CH, Colobong-Smith N, Anderson AE, Pham H. Treatment of Hyperkalemia With a Low-Dose Insulin Protocol Is Effective and Results in Reduced Hypoglycemia. Kidney Int Rep. 2017 Oct 24;3(2):328-336. doi: 10.1016/j.ekir.2017.10.009. eCollection 2018 Mar.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 29725636 (View on PubMed)

Moussavi K, Nguyen LT, Hua H, Fitter S. Comparison of IV Insulin Dosing Strategies for Hyperkalemia in the Emergency Department. Crit Care Explor. 2020 Apr 29;2(4):e0092. doi: 10.1097/CCE.0000000000000092. eCollection 2020 Apr.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 32426734 (View on PubMed)

LaRue HA, Peksa GD, Shah SC. A Comparison of Insulin Doses for the Treatment of Hyperkalemia in Patients with Renal Insufficiency. Pharmacotherapy. 2017 Dec;37(12):1516-1522. doi: 10.1002/phar.2038. Epub 2017 Nov 27.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 28976587 (View on PubMed)

Moussavi K, Garcia J, Tellez-Corrales E, Fitter S. Reduced alternative insulin dosing in hyperkalemia: A meta-analysis of effects on hypoglycemia and potassium reduction. Pharmacotherapy. 2021 Jul;41(7):598-607. doi: 10.1002/phar.2596. Epub 2021 Jun 1.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 33993515 (View on PubMed)

Harel Z, Kamel KS. Optimal Dose and Method of Administration of Intravenous Insulin in the Management of Emergency Hyperkalemia: A Systematic Review. PLoS One. 2016 May 5;11(5):e0154963. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0154963. eCollection 2016.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 27148740 (View on PubMed)

Garcia J, Pintens M, Morris A, Takamoto P, Baumgartner L, Tasaka CL. Reduced Versus Conventional Dose Insulin for Hyperkalemia Treatment. J Pharm Pract. 2020 Jun;33(3):262-266. doi: 10.1177/0897190018799220. Epub 2018 Sep 6.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 30189765 (View on PubMed)

Provided Documents

Download supplemental materials such as informed consent forms, study protocols, or participant manuals.

Document Type: Study Protocol and Informed Consent Form

View Document

Document Type: Statistical Analysis Plan

View Document

Related Links

Access external resources that provide additional context or updates about the study.

Other Identifiers

Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.

MREC #2779

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id