Abstract
To Editor:— In their recent article Acute Quadriplegia in Diabetic Hyperosmotic Coma With Hypokalemia ( 207 :2278, 1969), Manzano and Kozak presented case of a 42-year-old man with diabetes in hyperosmotic coma with hypokalemia, in whom severe quadriplegia developed as glucose and potassium levels were being restored to normal levels. They stated that the exact etiology of paralysis could not be determined. In reviewing many tests carried out on this patient, I was surprised not to find results of nerve conduction studies. These would have provided quantitative information on nerve function, and might have been a diagnostic help. The three conditions considered in differential diagnosis—hypokalemia, diabetic neuropathy, and Guillain-Barre syndrome—each produce a characteristic alteration of peripheral nerve physiology. In hypokalemia, nerve conduction velocities are generally normal, even at time of potassium depletion and weakness. However, electromyography done during period of hypokalemia shows
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
More From: JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.