[Thyrotoxic hypokalemic periodic paralysis in a male Kurd]

Thyrotoxic hypokalemic periodic paralysis has been described to occur quite frequently in male Asiatic patients. The syndrome is, however, very rare in patients of Caucasian origin. To our knowledge it has never been described in Austria so far. This is the reason why we present the following case: A 22-year old male patient of Kurdish origin suffered from two periods of typical flaccid paralysis of the extremities after strenuous physical exertion, that were 4 months apart. The periods of paralysis were quickly reversed by substitution with potassium. Graves' disease was retrospectively diagnosed to have existed already during the first period. The patient was treated with an ablative dose of 131-I (25 mCi) and can perform strenuous exercise without symptoms since. This case and the review of the literature clearly illustrates the advantage of screening for thyroid dysfunction in patients with flaccid paralysis: unnecessary further periods of paralysis can be avoided by the correct treatment of thyrotoxicosis in such patients.