Korean J Nephrol.  2005 Sep;24(5):845-850.

A Case of Primary Aldosteronism with Rhabdomyolysis

• Park W
• Kim DH
• Han KC
• Bae YH
• Kim SH
• Ju JH
• Chae YT
• Kim HJ
• Yang DH

Abstract

Primary aldosteronism is a clinical syndrome of muscle weakness, hypertension and hypokalemia due to excess secretion of mineralocorticoid by the adrenal gland. In primary adlosteronism, muscle weakness is often caused by excess secretion of aldosterone, however, to our knowledge there have been no case reports rhabdomyolysis due to severe hypokalemia in domestic cases. A fifty-eight year old female who presented with myalgia was admitted into the hospital. Initial laboratory values demonstrate marked hypokalemia with elevated creatinine kinase and LDH. Also, her urine myoglobin was positive and plasma renin activity level was decreased and serum aldosterone level was increased. Owing to a high clinical suspicion of primary aldosteronism, an abdominal CT scan was performed revealing 1.6 cm sized mass in the right adrenal gland. After surgery, her blood pressure was normalized and serum potassium level was maintained to normal range without potassium replacement therapy. She is now in outpatient care under close follow-up. We report a case of a patient with paralysis of both lower extremities and myalgia, who later found to have primary aldosteronism with rhabdomyolysis due to severe hypokalemia.

Keyword

Primary aldosteronism; Hypokalemia; Rhabdomyolysis

MeSH Terms

Adrenal Glands
Aldosterone
Ambulatory Care
Blood Pressure
Creatinine
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Hyperaldosteronism*
Hypertension
Hypokalemia
Lower Extremity
Muscle Weakness
Myalgia
Myoglobin
Paralysis
Phosphotransferases
Plasma
Potassium
Reference Values
Renin
Rhabdomyolysis*
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Aldosterone
Creatinine
Myoglobin
Phosphotransferases
Potassium
Renin