Verification of 2 fundamental types of kalemic curves during glucose tolerance tests

The authors have carried out statistical analysis of serum K+ decrease during OGTT test. Two kinds of K+ curves were distinguished: "one way" and "undulating". The latter are characterized by: faster starting K+ decrease (p less than 0.05), faster speed slowing down (p less than 0,005), lower starting serum K+ (p less than 0,02), precocious sign-inversion of decrease-speed value, serum K+ level before rebound lower than final K+ level in the "one way" curves. Clinical significance of this is due to the fact that in "one way" curves, low K+ levels are kept longer, presumably causing diffuse tissue damage.