A case report and review of hypokalemic paralysis secondary to renal tubular acidosis.
A 5-year-old girl with distal renal tubular acidosis (RTA) and hypokalemic muscle paralysis is reported. RTA is a known cause of hypokalemia, but in spite of the presence of persistent hypokalemia muscular paralysis is uncommon, rarely described in children, and the onset of paralysis may initially be misinterpreted particularly if the patient is attended by a physician who is not a pediatric nephrologist. Therefore parents must be informed about this possibility. Still, as the clinical appearance of hypokalemic paralysis is quite similar to familial hypokalemic periodic paralysis, and because the emergent and prophylactic treatment of the two disorders are quite different, we discuss the diagnostic evaluation and the treatment for both of them.
Bresolin
Nilzete Liberato
NL
Hospital Infantil Joana de Gusmão, Florianópolis Santa Catarina, Brazil. nilzete@central148.com.br
Grillo
Eugênio
E
Fernandes
Vera Regina
VR
Carvalho
Francisca Lígia Cirilo
FL
Goes
José Eduardo Coutinho
JE
da Silva
Ronaldo José Melo
RJ
D000141:Acidosis, Renal Tubular / Q000150:complications*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007008:Hypokalemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D009397:Nephrocalcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D010243:Paralysis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D014463:Ultrasonography