title: [Acute rhabdomyolysis and tetraparesis secondary to hypokalemia due to ingested licorice].
abstract: The glycirrinic acid, a common component of the natural licorice, has a potent mineralacorticoid effect (primary pseudohyperaldosteronism) which may cause severe hypokalemia and acute rhabdomyolysis. We present the case of a 36-years-old patient who, as the result of the intake of five daily licorice sticks (25 gr/day) for one month, developed analytical and clinical signs of acute rhabdomyolysis associated to the typical disorders of mineralcorticoid excess, that is, severe hypokalemia, arterial hypertension and metabolic alkalosis. The relevance of this clinical case lies on the low frequency of this finding and on the need that physicians working at emergency care centers must be aware of the onset of acute tetraparesis related to hypokalemia secondary to licorice ingesta. The early detection of this pathology is essential, since it will result in the beginning of an specific treatment, avoiding thus, as far as possible, the severe complications that might appear.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Urgencias, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Córdoba.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berlango Jiménez
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jiménez Murillo
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Montero Pérez
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Muñoz Avila
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Torres Murillo
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Calderón de la Barca Gázquez
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006034:Glycyrrhetinic Acid / Q000506:poisoning*; D006035:Glycyrrhiza; D006801:Humans; D007008:Hypokalemia / Q000139:chemically induced*; D010291:Paresis / Q000139:chemically induced*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D012206:Rhabdomyolysis / Q000139:chemically induced*
chemical_list: D006034:Glycyrrhetinic Acid
vernacular_title: Rabdomiólisis aguda y tetraparesia secundarias a hipocaliemia por ingesta de regaliz.