%0 Journal Article
%T Hypokalemic paralysis associated with cystic disease of the kidney: case report
%A Champika SSSK Gamakaranage
%A Chaturaka Rodrigo
%A Saroj Jayasinghe
%A Senaka Rajapakse
%J BMC Nephrology
%D 2011
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1471-2369-12-16
%X We report a 33-year-old male patient who presented with generalized limb weakness caused by severe hypokalemia due to renal tubular acidosis, who was found to have renal medullary cysts.The association of cystic renal disease with hypokalemia, and the possible pathophysiological basis of the development of renal cysts in patients with severe hypokalemia, are discussed.Severe hypokalemia is known to result in muscle paralysis[1], and renal tubular acidosis (RTA) is a recognized cause[2,3]. RTA is a condition where acid excretion by the kidneys is impaired, resulting in systemic acidosis. The classical type of RTA is the 'distal' or Type 1. Renal potassium loss occurs in Type 1 RTA, which results in hypokalemia[4]. There are numerous causes and associations of Type 1 RTA, and the condition can be hereditary, congenital, acquired or idiopathic[4]. RTA and severe hypokalemia have been associated with medullary sponge kidney[5] and other cystic conditions of the kidney. Nephrocalcinosis is also often associated[4]. The reason for formation of renal cysts, either in the classical form of medullary sponge kidney, or other variants, is unclear. We report a patient who presented with severe hypokalemia due to renal tubular acidosis who was found to have cystic renal disease, and discuss the possible pathogenesis of cyst formation in the kidney.A 33-year-old male farmer presented with a history of excessive thirst, weight loss, and increased urine output over the preceding two months. He then developed generalized body weakness, associated with vomiting which occurred 3-5 times a day, over the past 2 weeks prior to admission. The weakness, which was predominantly in the limbs and the neck, worsened over the course of the next two weeks, and on admission he was bed bound. At the time of presentation his motor power was grade 2 in all limbs (unable to move against gravity, movement possible with gravity eliminated[6]), and he was unable to move his neck. The limbs were hypotoni
%K hypokalemia
%K renal tubular acidosis
%K medullary cystic kidney
%K renal cysts
%U http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2369/12/16