Sudden Paralysis in an American Football Player! Monster Football?

Abstract

This case of ascending paralysis, following an episode of diarrhea, was initially misinterpreted as Guillain-Barré syndrome. The prominent hypokalemia led to the search for other differential diagnoses, initially interpreted as a rare case of periodic hypokalemic paralysis, which usually occurs in Asians after intake of large amounts of starch foods, such as Spaghetti, or rest after heavy exercise. In this case, the reason for the hypokalemia with associated paralysis was caused by a hyperhyreosis factitia through denied intake of T3.

Keywords: Guillain-Barré syndrome; Guillain-Barré-Syndrom; Hyperhyreose factitia; Hypokalemia; Hypokaliämie; Notfallmedizin; emergency medicine; hyperhyreosis factitial; hypokalemic ascending paralysis; hypokaliämische aufsteigende Lähmung.