ECE2008 Poster Presentations Clinical cases (60 abstracts)
1Department of Endocrinology, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania; 2C.I.Parhon Institute of Endocrinology, Bucharest, Romania; 3Central Military Emergency Hospital, Bucharest, Romania.
Among hypertensive population, almost 10% have primary hyperaldosteronism. In these cases, most abnormalities are related to hypokaliemia with progressive or acute onset of the symptoms.
We present the case of 34-year-old male patient, without significant pathological history, with a sudden neurological episode, dominated by tetraplegia and mild elevated blood pressure. Extremely low values of serum potassium are found. Diabetes mellitus is also discovered. High levels of aldosterone (3 times above normal) are found. The computed tomography revealed a left adrenal tumor of 1.3 by 1 cm diameters. The neurological signs are remitted in 2 weeks after administration of spironolactone and hydro-electrolytic solutions. Surgical resection is performed and hystopathological diagnosis of Conns syndrome is confirmed. Normal postoperative serum potassium, aldosterone and glucose are found.
Particularities of the case are: acute onset of hypokalemia with neurological complications, completely reversible with potassium supplements and excellent evolution after surgery, no other medication being necessary. Even if some typical features of Conns syndrome are present, our case is a male, and the disorder is seen more frequently in women.