title: Focal hypokalemic paralysis:  report of 2 cases and review of the literature.
abstract: Hypokalemia is one of the most frequent electrolytic disturbances encountered in clinical practice. It usually presents with symmetrical generalized muscle weakness and, on occasions, with arrhythmias. There are scarce reports of cases presenting with asymmetric or focal weakness in the literature and no systematic reviews on the subject. Therefore, our aim is to describe 2 cases of hypokalemic paralysis that presented as monoparesis and to review the literature on focal hypokalemic paralysis. Hypokalemic paralysis is usually reversible. However, it can be fatal if the diagnosis and treatment are delayed. It is important to take into account this presentation because failure to recognize it could lead to misdiagnosis, delaying the adequate treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Raúl Carrea Institute for Neurological Research, FLENI, Buenos Aires, Argentina. klynch1@tuftsmedicalcenter.org
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Negrotto
authors.forename: Fabio A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Barroso
mesh_terms: D004573:Electrolytes / Q000097:blood*; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007008:Hypokalemia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018908:Muscle Weakness / Q000209:etiology; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology; D010243:Paralysis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D004573:Electrolytes