Date of Presentation

5-5-2022 12:00 AM

College

School of Osteopathic Medicine

Poster Abstract

Thyrotoxic crisis, or thyroid storm, is an acute, life threatening event caused by hyperthyroidism with mortality up to 8-25% that can present with multi-system organ involvement. It is a rare, but well studied complication in the emergency department but can lead to further, less common complications. In this study we will discuss a case of thyrotoxic hypokalemic periodic paralysis. Thyrotoxic hypokalemic periodic paralysis (TPP) most commonly affects Asian men. The key features of the syndrome include acute onset of hypokalemia and paralysis. The hypokalemic aspect of the disorder is secondary to the shift intracellularly by thyroid hormones’ sensitization of Na+/K+-ATPase as opposed to body's depletion of potassium. TPP has an incidence of 2% in patients with thyrotoxicosis of any cause. The paralysis occurs because a large majority of the body’s potassium is located in skeletal muscle. When the potassium moves intracellularly the muscles are unable to contract in their normal fashion.

Keywords

Thyroid Crisis, Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis, Hyperthyroidism, Thyrotoxicosis, Potassium, Hypokalemia

Disciplines

Emergency Medicine | Endocrine System Diseases | Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism | Medicine and Health Sciences | Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases | Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Document Type

Poster

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May 5th, 12:00 AM

Case Report: Thyrotoxic Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis

Thyrotoxic crisis, or thyroid storm, is an acute, life threatening event caused by hyperthyroidism with mortality up to 8-25% that can present with multi-system organ involvement. It is a rare, but well studied complication in the emergency department but can lead to further, less common complications. In this study we will discuss a case of thyrotoxic hypokalemic periodic paralysis. Thyrotoxic hypokalemic periodic paralysis (TPP) most commonly affects Asian men. The key features of the syndrome include acute onset of hypokalemia and paralysis. The hypokalemic aspect of the disorder is secondary to the shift intracellularly by thyroid hormones’ sensitization of Na+/K+-ATPase as opposed to body's depletion of potassium. TPP has an incidence of 2% in patients with thyrotoxicosis of any cause. The paralysis occurs because a large majority of the body’s potassium is located in skeletal muscle. When the potassium moves intracellularly the muscles are unable to contract in their normal fashion.

 

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