HYPOKALEMIC THYROTOXIC PERIODIC PARALYSIS - CASE-REPORT AND REVIEW OFAN ORIENTAL SYNDROME

Presentations of acute systemic weakness are rare and appear dramatic and frightening to both patients and physicians. Aetiologies are multi factorial and diverse. Morbidity and mortality are associated with the unrecognized disease. One of the underlying disorders is hypokalaemic thyrotoxic periodic paralysis (HTPP), an uncommon disorder. HTPP is c haracterized by periodic occurrences of muscle weakness during attacks of hyperthyroidism and appears predominantly in Orientals. This artic le describes a patient of Chinese origin with hyperthyroidism and atta cks of paralysis and considers several problems: a lack of familiarity with the syndrome, increasing numbers of patients with this disease i n European hospitals as a result of migration of populations, and the importance of patient compliance in therapeutic management. Finally, a review of the literature concerning presentation, differential diagno sis, pathophysiology, and therapeutic management is provided.