Clinical and diagnostic challenges in a rare case of motor weakness with endocrinopathy: A case report

Abstract

Electrolyte imbalance always poses challenging situations to the attending intensivists, particularly if it is associated with endocrinopathies and other comorbidities. One such rare clinical scenario is hypokalemic periodic paralysis (HPP) due to hyperthyroidism. The epidemiology of such a condition is slightly higher among males of Asian origin as compared to its universal occurrence. The diagnostic challenges in this clinical situation can lead to higher morbidity if timeliness is compromised from the presentation to active management. Moreover, atypical presentation of this pathologic condition further compounds the problem if it is associated with overt hyperthyroidism. Here, we report a unique case that presented to the emergency medicine department of our institute with weakness of all the four limbs and in which we faced all the diagnostic and management challenges as the clinical condition of hypokalemia was somehow dominated by overt hyperthyroidism.