| Title | Preponderance of hypokalaemia as a cause of acute onset quadriparesis in northern India/southern Nepal. | | Author(s) | Thomas SM, Booth BE, Rao A | | Institution | Duncan Hospital, Emmanuel Hospital Association, Bihar, India. | | Source | Trop Doct 1999 Jul; 29(3):148-51. | | MeSH | Acute Disease
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Child
Child, Preschool
Diagnosis, Differential
Female
Humans
Hypokalemia
India
Infant
Male
Middle Aged
Nepal
Paresis
Quadriplegia
| | Abstract | Of 68 patients who were admitted with acute quadriparesis to a hospital in northern India, over 70% were found to be hypokalaemic. The most common cause of hypokalaemia was that associated with gastroenteritis (54%). These patients had all received intravenous fluids previously. It is likely that their hypokalaemia was caused by gastrointestinal loss compounded by parenteral fluid replacement. The next most common group of hypokalaemia-associated quadriparesis had no obvious cause for hypokalaemia (38%). Hypokalaemia-induced quadriparesis is a potentially life-threatening illness which can be readily treated with potassium supplements. The physician should consider hypokalaemia in patients who present with acute onset quadriparesis, and even if diagnostic tests for hypokalaemia are not available, should consider a judicious trial of potassium supplementation empirically, provided that there are no contraindications. | | Language | eng | | Pub Type(s) | Journal Article
| | PubMed ID | 10448237 |
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