title: Severe post-dialysis hypokalaemia leading to quadriparesis.
abstract: A 36-year-old male developed acute renal failure and severe metabolic acidosis following acute severe gastroenteritis. Two hours following haemodialysis he developed generalized muscle weakness, which progressed to quadriplegia over the next 4 hours. Electrocardiography (ECG) revealed classic signs of hypokalaemia. Serum potassium (K+) levels were 0.98 mmol/L. He was immediately started on intravenous (i/v) and oral potassium supplementation. He gradually improved and his ECG changes also reverted as potassium levels normalized. Postdialysis hypokalaemia can be a serious complication in patients who are already in total body potassium deficit. Dialysis fluid potassium levels should be kept higher in such patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Military Hospital Rawalpindi.
authors.forename: Imran
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Saif
authors.forename: Abdul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Halim
authors.forename: Ashfaq
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Altaf
authors.forename: Mohsin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saif
authors.forename: Umair
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Siddiqui
authors.forename: Muhammad Khalid
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Rahman
authors.forename: Nadeem
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Azam
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D007008:Hypokalemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D011188:Potassium / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D011188:Potassium