title: Profound muscle weakness and hypokalemia due to clay ingestion.
abstract: We have presented the case of a 43-year-old woman with severe myositis due to clay ingestion and hypokalemia. EMG studies revealed a pattern consistent with myositis, and muscle biopsy showed a nonspecific diffuse myositis. The clay was shown to act as a potassium binder. With potassium replacement and discontinuance of clay ingestion, the symptoms and signs abated and laboratory values returned to normal.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, East Carolina University School of Medicine, Greenville, NC 27834.
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Severance
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Holt
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Patrone
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chapman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000538:Aluminum Silicates; D000077215:Clay; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007008:Hypokalemia / Q000209:etiology*; D009132:Muscles / Q000473:pathology; D009220:Myositis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D010842:Pica / Q000150:complications*
chemical_list: D000538:Aluminum Silicates; D000077215:Clay