Liperpotassiemia

Liperpotassiemia is a term used in some medical texts to describe an apparent alteration in blood potassium concentration that is associated with lipemic (high-fat) blood samples. It is not universally recognized as a distinct clinical disorder and is often considered an artifact rather than a true physiological disturbance.

In practice, lipemia can interfere with certain laboratory potassium assays, particularly indirect ion-selective electrode methods. The turbidity and composition of a lipemic serum can alter electrode response or analytical calibration, leading to falsely elevated or occasionally reduced potassium readings. Because potassium is highly sensitive to preanalytic factors, lipemia is one of several possible causes of spurious results, alongside hemolysis, sample mishandling, or leukocytosis.

Diagnosis relies on distinguishing true hyperkalemia from a pseudo-elevation due to lipemia. Clinicians typically repeat the potassium measurement using a lipemia-insensitive method, such as a direct ion-selective electrode assay on plasma or whole blood, or obtain a sample after appropriate processing. Correlating with clinical signs, renal function, acid-base status, medications, and other electrolyte values helps determine whether a real electrolyte disorder exists.

Management focuses on result verification rather than treating lipemia itself. If a true hyperkalemia is confirmed, standard management for hyperkalemia is followed. If lipemia is the likely cause of the abnormal value, no active correction for potassium is warranted beyond addressing the underlying sample quality and repeating measurements as needed.

See also: pseudohyperkalemia, lipemia, potassium measurement methods.