MYOTONIA INDUCED BY POTASSIUM REPLETION IN A DIABETIC PATIENT WITH SECONDARY HYPOKALEMIC PARALYSIS

In a woman suffering from insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, hypokal emic paralysis developed acutely following an episode of diabetes deco mpensation. During the treatment of this episode, as soon as serum pot assium levels were restored to normal values, a marked increase in mus cular excitability with an electromyographic picture of myotonia was o bserved. The patient showed signs of chronic muscle denervation that a ccounted for an increased sensitivity to potassium-induced depolarizat ion and contraction and that might have been responsible for the appea rance of myotonia during potassium repletion.