Renal Tubular Acidosis Mimicking Guillain Barre Syndrome

J Korean Neurol Assoc > Volume 14(4); 1996 > Article

Journal of the Korean Neurological Association 1996;14(4): 1060-1066.

Guillain Barre Syndrome을 닮은 신세뇨관 산증에 의한 저칼륨성 주기성마비

고운산, 권기한 강경수 이병철 정근호

한림대학교 의과대학 신경과학교실, 국립의료원 신경과

Renal Tubular Acidosis Mimicking Guillain Barre Syndrome

Woon San Koh, M.D., Ki Han Kwon, M.D., Kyung Soo Kang, M.D., Byung Chul Lee, M.D., Keun Ho Cheong, M.D.

Department of Neurology, Hallym University College of Medicine and National Medical Center

Abstract

The typical attacks of hypokalemic periodic paralysis come on during sleep or at late night. The patients usually awaken to find mild or severe weakness of the limbs and the attacks evolve over minutes to several hours. Once established, the weakness lasts a few several hours in most cases. However, our two patients due to the hypokalemia of renal tubular acidosis showed more prolonged, progressive courses of flaccid, hyporeflexic motor weakness. Especially one patient also showed slowed motor nerve conduction velocities which were normalized after potassium correction of one day. So we initially mistook the motor weakness for Guillian Barre Syndrome.