Hypokalemic rhabdomyolysis due to watery diarrhea, hypokalemia, achlorhydria (WDHA) syndrome caused by vipoma.
Mild hypokalemia is common and encountered in a multitude of diseases, but severe hypokalemia leading to rhabdomyolysis is relatively rare. The watery diarrhea, hypokalemia, achlorhydria (WDHA) syndrome caused by vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP)-producing tumors, is an extremely rare cause of hypokalemic rhabdomyolysis and the literature is limited to one case report. We report a second case of an adult who presented with rhabdomyolysis due to severe hypokalemia. Further evaluation revealed that he had a VIP-producing pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (NET), which was the cause of his hypokalemic rhabdomyolysis. Although rare in occurrence, a high index of suspicion is of paramount importance for establishing the correct diagnosis and treatment.
Kibria
Rizwan
R
Department of Gastroenterology, Wright State University School of Medicine, Dayton, OH 45428, USA. rekibria@gmail.com
Ahmed
Sameer
S
Ali
Syed A
SA
Barde
Christopher J
CJ
D000126:Achlorhydria / Q000209:etiology; D000328:Adult; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007008:Hypokalemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D012206:Rhabdomyolysis / Q000209:etiology*; D013577:Syndrome; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000097:blood; D003969:Vipoma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology
D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide