Clinical Profile in Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis Cases

Abstract

The present article was aimed to study demographic and clinical pattern, periodicity and precipitating events for hypokalemic paralysis and to assess the response to treatment both during acute attacks and as prophylaxis in comparison with available literature. Forty patients with hypokalemic paralysis were admitted in Narayana Medical College and Hospital during the last two years, in all the medical units and neurology wards. Patients were assessed clinically, with symptomatology and precipitating factors were evaluated. There were total 40 patients in the present study. Younger more including male gender. Mean age was 30.95 years. Common precipitating factor were diarrhea, fever, strenuous activity, following dextrose administration, in patients with diabetic ketoacidosis, however in majority of the cases we could not identify the precipitating factors. Most common electrocardiographic change on ECG was U' wave (36 cases) followed by flat 'T' wave (14 patients) and ECG was normal in 4 patients. Hypokalemic paralysis was predominantly seen in younger males. Vomiting, diarrhea were important precipitating factors. The response to oral potassium chloride supplementation was good as only few patients requiring intravenous potassium chloride. The approach to hypokalemic paralysis patient includes a vigorous search for the underlying etiology and potassium replacement therapy.

Keywords

• Hypokalaemia, hypokalaemic periodic paralysis, periodic paralysis, paralysis

Clinical Profile in Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis Cases

Öz

Bu makale hipokalemik paralizide demografi, klinik tipler, yineleme sıklığı ve presipite eden faktörlerin değerlendirilmesi ve hem akut ataklar sırasındaki tedavinin ve hem de profilaksinin etkinliğinin mevcut bilgilerle kıyaslanması amacını gütmektedir. Son iki yıl içerisinde Narayana Tıp Koleji'ne ve Hastanesine; tüm tıbbi birimler ve nöroloji servisine toplam 40 hipokalemik paralizili hasta başvurmuştur. Hastalar semptomatoloji ve presipite eden faktörler açısından klnik olarak değerlendirilmişlerdir. Erkekler ve genç yaştakiler daha fazladır. Ortalama yaş 30.95 dir. Sık presipite eden faktörler ishal, ateş, ağır egzersiz ve diyabetik ketoasidozda dekstroz infüzyonudur, bununla birlikte çoğu olguda böyle bir faktör tespit edilememiştir. En sık EKG bulgusu U dalgasıdır (36 olgu), sonra düz T dalgasıdır (14 olgu), 4 hastada ise EKG normaldir. Hipokalemik paralizi başlıca genç bayanlarda görülmüştür. Kusma ve diyare önemli presipite eden faktörlerdir. Oral potasyum klorüre cevap iyidir sadece az sayıda hastada intravenöz potasyum klorür gerekmiştir. Hipokalemik paraliziye yaklaşım altta yatan etyoloji açısından detaylı araştırma ve potasyum replasmanıdır

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Hipokalemi, hipokalemik periyodik paralizi, periyodik paralizi, paralizi

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