Table 3.
GRADE summary of findings table showing quality of evidence for effect of higher potassium intake on selected health outcomes in children
| Outcomes | Effect (95% CI) |
No of participants (studies) |
Quality of evidence (GRADE) |
Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Resting systolic blood pressure* (assessed directly in children; follow-up 0.75-1 month; units mm Hg; better indicated by lower values) | MD 0.28 lower (1.05 lower to 0.49 higher) | 236 (3) | Low | 1 of 3 studies was not randomised; downgraded owing to high risk of bias and imprecision. |
| Resting systolic blood pressure† (assessed in adults; follow-up 1-36 months; units mm Hg; better indicated by lower values) | MD 3.49 lower (5.15 to 1.82 lower) | 1892 (21) | Moderate | Downgraded owing to indirectness |
| Total cholesterol (assessed directly in children) | – | – | – | No studies in children reported on this outcome |
| Total cholesterol† (assessed in adults; follow-up 1-2 months; units mmol/L; better indicated by lower values) | MD 0.12 lower (0.33 lower to 0.09 higher) | 208 (3) | Moderate | Downgraded owing to indirectness |
| Plasma noradrenaline (assessed directly in children) | – | – | – | No studies in children reported on this outcome |
| Plasma noradrenaline† (assessed in adults; follow-up 1-2.5 months; units pg/mL; better indicated by lower values) | MD 4.32 lower (23.78 lower to 15.13 higher) | 152 (3) | Moderate | Downgraded owing to indirectness |
| Minor side effects (assessed directly in children) | – | – | – | No studies in children reported on this outcome |
| Minor side effects (assessed in adults) | – | – | – | No studies in adults reported on this outcome |
MD=mean difference.
*One observational cohort study in children is consistent with beneficial effect of increased potassium on blood pressure over time.
†Data from adults used as proxy for children.