Sporadic hypokalemic paralysis caused by osmotic diuresis in diabetes mellitus.
A wide variety of neurological manifestations are known in patients with diabetes mellitus. We describe a 40-year-old man who presented with hypokalemic paralysis. On evaluation, we found that the cause of the hypokalemia was osmotic diuresis induced by marked hyperglycemia due to undiagnosed diabetes mellitus. The patient had an uneventful recovery with potassium replacement, followed by glycemic control with insulin. Barring a few instances of symptomatic hypokalemia in the setting of diabetic emergencies, to our knowledge uncomplicated hyperglycemia has not been reported to result in hypokalemic paralysis.
Department of Neurology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
Venugopalan Y
VY
Vishnu
Department of Medicine, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry 605006, India.
Anoop
A
Kattadimmal
Department of Medicine, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry 605006, India.
Suparna A
SA
Rao
Department of Medicine, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry 605006, India. Electronic address: kadhir@jipmer.edu.in.
Tamilarasu
T
Kadhiravan
D000328:Adult; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004234:Diuretics, Osmotic / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007008:Hypokalemia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D010243:Paralysis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D011188:Potassium / Q000627:therapeutic use
D004234:Diuretics, Osmotic; D011188:Potassium
Diabetes mellitus; Hypokalemic paralysis; Osmotic diuresis