Hypokalemic Paresis Revealing a Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome

Madiha Mahfoudhi¹, Hedia Bellali², Imen Gorsane¹, Mounira El Euch¹, Sami Turki¹, Taieb Ben Abdallah¹

¹Internal Medicine Department, Charles Nicolle Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia.
²Epidemiology and Statistics Department, Mami Hospital, Ariana, Tunisia.

DOI: 10.4236/ojim.2015.53007                

Abstract

Hypokalemic acidosis can complicate a primary Sjögren’s syndrome. The clinical feature is rarely revealed by manifestations due to hypokalemia. We report the case of a 46-year-old woman, admitted to explore a paresthesia and paresis of inferior limbs. The diagnosis of Sjögren’s syndrome was retained since there was the association of xerophthalmia, sialadenitis at the labial biopsy and positive immunological results (anti-SSA and anti-SSB). The absence of another auto-immune or systemic illness allowed us to consider that the Sjögren’s syndrome was primary. The biological explorations revealed a hyperchloremic and hypokalemic acidosis. The treatment was based on corticosteroid and potassium supplementation. The follow-up was marked by a clinical and biological amelioration.

Keywords

Sjögren’s Syndrome, Hypokalemia, Interstitial Nephritis, Tubulopathy

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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