Transtubular Potassium Gradient (TTKG)

Transtubular potassium gradient = (urine K/plasma K)/(urine osm/plasma osm); assesses renal K handling.

Open the calculator → Runs in your browser. Data leaves only if you deliberately send a problem report from the interactive tool.

Example

Urine K
40 mEq/L
Plasma K
3.0 mEq/L
Urine osmolality
600 mOsm/kg
Plasma osmolality
290 mOsm/kg
Urine Na
40 mEq/L

Result: TTKG 6.4 (hypokalemia with renal potassium wasting).

The tool opens with these values already filled in. Replace them with your own.

What you enter

  • Urine K
  • Plasma K
  • Urine osmolality
  • Plasma osmolality
  • Urine Na
How this is calculated

Halperin ML, Kamel KS. Potassium. Lancet. 1998;352(9122):135-140. Derivation: Ethier JH, Kamel KS, Magner PO, et al. Am J Kidney Dis. 1990;15(4):309-315. TTKG = (urine K / plasma K) / (urine osm / plasma osm); read it only when urine osm > plasma osm and urine Na > 25. Read the sources: Halperin 1998 (the review) ↗, Ethier 1990 (the derivation) ↗

A reference and educational tool. Not medical, legal, or financial advice, and not a substitute for clinician judgment.

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Built by Clay Good. Source on GitHub.