J Korean Soc Emerg Med.  2004 Jun;15(3):161-166.

Clinical Study of Thyrotoxic Periodic Paralysis in the Emergency Department

• Youn CS
• Lee WJ
• Park KN
• Lee WJ
• Jeong SK
• Lee MJ
• Kim SK

Abstract

PURPOSE
Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis (TPP) is not an uncommon disorder in patient with acute muscle weakness in the emergency department. However, many patients with TPP are misdiagnosed, leading to improper treatment. So, we analyze the clinical characteristics of TPP to make diagnosis and treatment properly.
METHODS
The medical records of the patients confirmed as TPP by using thyroid function test from January 1998 to December 2002 were reviewed retrospectively.
RESULTS
TPP occurs predominantly in males, especially young males, during dawn or morning. It's predisposing factors were heavy meals, physical exertion and alcohol drinking. Most patients were hypokalemic and in a normal acid-base state. Systolic hypertension and tachycardia were common in TPP because of the hyperadrenergic state. When hyperthyroidism was conversed to normal thyroid state, paralysis did not occur.
CONCLUSION
There were several clinical clues to the diagnosis of TPP. Rapid and accurate diagnosis of TPP is important, so emergency physicians must know its clinical characteristics.

Keyword

Thyrotoxicosis; Periodic paralysis

MeSH Terms

Alcohol Drinking
Causality
Diagnosis
Emergencies*
Emergency Service, Hospital*
Humans
Hypertension
Hyperthyroidism
Male
Meals
Medical Records
Muscle Weakness
Paralysis*
Physical Exertion
Retrospective Studies
Tachycardia
Thyroid Function Tests
Thyroid Gland
Thyrotoxicosis