Recurrent Attacks of Hypokalemic Quadriparesis: An Unusual Presentation of Primary Sjogren Syndrome

Abstract

We herein report the case of a 64-year old woman with recurrent attacks of hypokalemic quadriparesis which resulted from distal renal tubular acidosis (dRTA) secondary to Sjogren syndrome. The patient presented with sudden onset quadriparesis. A physical examination showed symmetric weakness of all four limbs. Severe hypokalemia (1.8 mEq/L), accompanied by normal anion gap metabolic acidosis, a positive urine anion gap and an inappropriately high urine pH pointed toward the diagnosis of dRTA. Further investigations disclosed primary Sjogren syndrome, which had not previously been recognized. On the basis of the current report and a review of the literature we suggest investigating the possibility of Sjogren syndrome in all patients with clinically unexplained dRTA.