Hypokalemia in nonblastic chronic myelogenous leukemia.
Hypokalemia has been noted as a frequent complication of acute leukemia. To our knowledge, an association of this electrolyte disturbance with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), not in blast crisis, has never been reported. We report a unique case of hypokalemia that complicated the clinical course of a patient with nonblastic CML. The pathogenesis of the hypokalemia was shown to be inappropriate hyperkaluresis, which appeared to be related to lysozymuria and a large tumor burden. We discuss the pathogenesis of hypokalemia in leukemia. We think that the unusual features associated with CML in this case make a large tumor burden their most likely underlying cause. This may help explain the still confusing and unresolved relationship between lysozymuria and potassium wasting in leukemia.
D006801:Humans; D007008:Hypokalemia / Q000209:etiology*; D007951:Leukemia, Myeloid / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009113:Muramidase / Q000652:urine; D011188:Potassium / Q000652:urine
D009113:Muramidase; D011188:Potassium