Thyrotoxic Periodic Paralysis In A Nigerian: A Case Report

Abstarct : Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis is a disorder in which there are episodes of muscle weakness in people with high levels of thyroid hormones. It is a channelopathy characterized by an abnormality in the Na/K+ ATPase pump due to the effect of excess thyroid hormones which cause an intracellular shift of potassium leading to hypokalaemia in the presence of normal total body potassium. The commonest cause of hyperthyroidism in these patients is Grave’s disease 2,3,4 but other causes have also been described It is commoner in males than females unlike in other thyroid disorders 7,8,9. The modes of presentation include limb paralysis, dyspnoea, dysphagia, ophthalmoplegia, and cardiac rhythm disturbances. The attacks are potentially life threatening 10,11,12 but patients are normal between attacks. The condition is rare and is seen most commonly in Asian 13, 14,15 and Latin American men 16,17 but has also been noted in caucassians 18,19,20 and African Americans . This case is reported to alert physicians to the occurrence of this rare but potentially life threatening disorder in a Nigerian patient.