Dengue and Hypokalemic Paralysis: A Rare Association

Dengue is one of the most common mosquito-borne viral illnesses in tropical areas, including Pakistan. Presentation varies from a self-limiting flu-like illness to life-threatening conditions like hemorrhagic shock and multi-organ dysfunction leading to death. In the absence of vomiting and diarrhea...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Curēus (Palo Alto, CA) CA), 2023-09, Vol.15 (9)
Main Authors: Akhtar, Ujala, Mushtaq, Muhammad Hamza, Nisar, Sarah, Naeem, Awais, Naim, Fahad
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Chloride
Creatinine
Dengue fever
Electrocardiography
Electrolytes
Guillain-Barre syndrome
Hypokalemia
Infectious Disease
Internal Medicine
Laboratories
Medicine
Neurology
Pathogenesis
Patients
Potassium
Teaching hospitals
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Summary:Dengue is one of the most common mosquito-borne viral illnesses in tropical areas, including Pakistan. Presentation varies from a self-limiting flu-like illness to life-threatening conditions like hemorrhagic shock and multi-organ dysfunction leading to death. In the absence of vomiting and diarrhea, electrolyte abnormalities are rare findings. Though Guillain-Barré syndrome is a known association of viral illnesses presenting with flaccid paralysis, there is a possibility for dengue to cause hypokalemia without apparent gut or renal losses. Dengue-associated hypokalemic paralysis is an underrecognized entity but has a favorable outcome. The clinician should suspect this in patients presenting with motor weakness in dengue-endemic areas. Neurological complications of dengue are reported frequently now, so early recognition of these neurological manifestations is needed for the successful recovery of patients. Here, we discuss a case of dengue-induced hypokalemia presenting with acute flaccid paralysis.
ISSN:2168-8184
2168-8184
DOI:10.7759/cureus.44705