Adverse drug event of hypokalaemia-induced cardiotoxicity secondary to the use of laxatives: A systematic review of case reports

Review article: do stimulant laxatives damage the gut? A critical analysis of current knowledge

Stimulant laxatives are well established as first- or second-line treatments for constipation and although they have a reliable therapeutic effect, alleged safety concerns still exist, particularly with long-term use. The potential harmful effects on the gastrointestinal system (including carcinogenicity) of the long-term use of diphenylmethane [bisacodyl, sodium picosulfate (SPS)] and senna stimulant laxatives were assessed in a comprehensive review of the publications identified in literature searches performed in PubMed and Embase up to and including June 2023. We identified and reviewed 43 publications of interest. While stimulant laxatives at supratherapeutic doses have been shown to cause structural alterations to surface absorptive cells in animals and humans, these effects are reversible and not considered clinically relevant. No formal long-term studies have demonstrated morphological changes in enteric neural elements or intestinal smooth muscle with bisacodyl or SPS in humans. Furthermore, there is no convincing evidence that stimulant laxatives are associated with the development of colon cancer, and in fact, chronic constipation itself has been reported to potentially increase the risk of colon cancer, therefore, the use of stimulant laxatives might reduce this risk. Many studies suggesting a possible harmful effect from laxatives were limited by their failure to consider confounding factors such as concomitant neurological disease, metabolic disorders, and age. These findings highlight the lack of evidence for the harmful effects of laxatives on the colon, and thus, the benefits of treatment with stimulant laxatives, even in the long-term, should be reconsidered for the management of patients with constipation.

Prediction of postoperative hypokalemia in patients with oral cancer undergoing en bloc cancer resection: a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

The factors associated with postoperative hypokalemia in patients with oral cancer remain unclear. We determined the preoperative factors associated with postoperative hypokalemia in patients with oral cancer following en bloc cancer resection and established a nomogram for postoperative hypokalemia prediction.

METHODS

Data from 381 patients with oral cancer who underwent en bloc cancer resection were retrospectively analyzed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the risk factors for postoperative hypokalemia. We used receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves to quantify the factors' effectiveness. A nomogram was created to show each predictor's relative weight and the likelihood of postoperative hypokalemia development. The multinomial regression model's effectiveness was also evaluated.

RESULTS

Preoperative factors, including sex, preoperative serum potassium level, and preoperative platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), were significantly associated with postoperative hypokalemia. Based on the ROC curve, the preoperative serum potassium and PLR cut-off levels were 3.98 mmol/L and 117, respectively. Further multivariate analysis indicated that female sex, preoperative serum potassium level < 3.98 mmol/L, and preoperative PLR ≥ 117 were independently associated with postoperative hypokalemia. We constructed a predictive nomogram with all these factors for the risk of postoperative hypokalemia with good discrimination and internal validation.

CONCLUSIONS

The predictive nomogram for postoperative hypokalemia risk constructed with these factors had good discrimination and internal validation. The developed nomogram will add value to these independent risk factors that can be identified at admission in order to predict postoperative hypokalemia.

Association between preoperative hypokalemia and postoperative complications in elderly patients: a retrospective study

Background

Hypokalemia is a common form of electrolyte disorder, which has a higher incidence in hospitalized patients and is closely related to perioperative complications and prognosis. Due to decreased skeletal muscle mass which causes total body potassium reduction, and increased comorbidities, the elderly are more susceptible to hypokalemia.

Objective

To investigate preoperative hypokalemia in elderly patients and its effect on postoperative complications.

Methods

Data were retrospectively collected from the elderly patients who underwent elective surgery from April 2018 to March 2019 and had preoperative blood gas data available. Patients, with age 60 to 100 years, were divided into hypokalemia group (potassium level < 3.5 mmol/L) and normokalemia group (potassium level between 3.5 and 5.5 mmol/L) according to preoperative blood gas analysis. Hypokalemia can be divided into mild (potassium level 3.0 to 3.5 mmol/L), moderate (potassium level 2.5 to 3.0 mmol/L) and severe (potassium level < 2.5 mmol/L), respectively. The risk factors of preoperative hypokalemia and its impact on postoperative complications and prognosis were primary outcomes. Secondary outcomes included postanesthesia care unit (PACU) stay time and hospital length of stay (LOS).

Results

Of 987 participants, 436 (44.17%) developed preoperative hypokalemia, among them 357 (81.88%) mild, 87 (16.74%) moderate and 6 (1.38%) severe. Multivariate logistic regression showed that female gender (OR, 1.851; 95% CI, 1.415–2.421), pre-existing hypokalemia at admission (OR, 4.498; 95% CI, 2.506–8.071), and oral laxative twice or more (OR, 1.823; 95% CI, 1.266–2.624) are risk factors of preoperative hypokalemia. Gynecological and biliopancreatic surgery were more common in hypokalemia group than normokalemia group (P <  0.001, P <  0.05). There was no significant difference in postoperative complications, PACU stay time, LOS, and 30-day mortality between the two groups (all P >  0.05).

Conclusions

Female gender, pre-existing hypokalemia at admission, and oral laxative twice or more are independent risk factors for preoperative hypokalemia in elderly patients. However, postoperative complications and 30-day mortality were not increased, which may be related to monitoring blood gas analysis and prompt correction of potassium levels during surgery.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12877-022-03445-1.