Berwaerts J, Verhelst J, Vandenbroucke M, Abs R, Martin J J, Mahler C
Department of Endocrinology, AZ Middelheim.
Acta Neurol Belg. 1996 Dec;96(4):301-6.
Over a two-year period two patients were admitted to the hospital with episodes of paralysis and hypokalemia. In the first patient, familial hypokalemic periodic paralysis was initially suspected. Only several months later was Graves' disease diagnosed and this diagnosis linked to thyrotoxic periodic paralysis. The second patient came to notice after treatment with thyreostatic drugs was stopped prematurely and paralysis together with hypokalemia developed. Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis, being rare outside Asia, closely mimics the clinical presentation of familial hypokalemic periodic paralysis. Mainly men in the third decade with a negative family history are affected. Graves' disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism. This disorder is not always clinically apparent since signs of hyperthyroidism may be easily missed. Therefore thyroid function tests are part of the diagnostic workup of hypokalemic periodic paralysis. Correction of thyroid function is essential to treatment. The pathophysiology is still controversial.
在两年时间里，有两名患者因麻痹和低钾血症发作入院。对于第一名患者，最初怀疑为家族性低钾性周期性麻痹。直到几个月后才诊断出格雷夫斯病，且该诊断与甲状腺毒症性周期性麻痹有关。第二名患者在抗甲状腺药物治疗过早停药后出现麻痹和低钾血症而被注意到。甲状腺毒症性周期性麻痹在亚洲以外地区较为罕见，与家族性低钾性周期性麻痹的临床表现极为相似。主要影响的是有家族史阴性的三十多岁男性。格雷夫斯病是甲状腺功能亢进最常见的病因。这种疾病在临床上并不总是明显的，因为甲状腺功能亢进的体征可能很容易被忽略。因此，甲状腺功能检查是低钾性周期性麻痹诊断检查的一部分。纠正甲状腺功能对治疗至关重要。其病理生理学仍存在争议。
