| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3063648 | Journal of Clinical Neuroscience | 2006 | 4 Pages |
Abstract
We encountered three patients with hypokalemic paralysis following a convulsion in the early stages of alcohol abstinence. The transtubular potassium gradient was less than 2.0, suggesting intracellular potassium shift. Hypokalaemic paralysis may result from retention of intracellular cationic potassium bound by anionic phosphorylated compounds, precipitated by an acceleration of the Na+-K+ pump in alcohol withdrawal and convulsions. These findings warn of the lethal hypokalemia that may occur after convulsions, particularly soon after alcohol abstinence associated with moderate withdrawal symptoms.
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Authors
Wei-Hsi Chen, Hsin-Ling Yin, Hung-Sheng Lin, Shun-Sheng Chen, Jia-Shou Liu,