Summary
A patient is described, who had muscle necrosis occurring with hypokalemia and a factitious mineralocorticoid excess syndrome. The syndrome was due to the prolonged use of a nasal spray containing 9-alpha-fluoroprednisolone acetate, a steroid with potent mineralocorticoid activity. It is emphasized that intranasal administration of steroid compounds must be considered in the differential diagnosis of hypokalemia and related muscle disorders.
Zusammenfassung
Es wird ein Patient beschrieben, der hypokaliaemische Muskelnekrosen, ausgelöst durch einen exogenen Überschuß von Mineralcorticoiden, aufweist. Die Ursache war der langdauernde Gebrauch eines 9-alpha-fluorprednisolon-Nasensprays, ein Steroid mit einer starken mineralcorticoiden Aktivität. Intranasal verabreichte Steroide müssen in der Differentialdiagnose von Hypokaliaemie und dadurch hervorgerufenen Muskelveränderungen in Betracht gezogen werden.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bautista J, Gil-Neciga E, Gil-Peralta A (1979) Hypokalemic periodic paralysis in primary hyperaldosteronism. Subclinical myopathy with atrophy of type 2A muscle fibers. Eur Neurol 18:415–420
Beton DC (1966) Acute cadmium fume poisoning. Br J Ind Med 23:292–298
Camici M, Cini G, Donadio C, Pentimone F (1980) Clinical and pathogenetic notes on pseudohyperaldosteronism due to intranasal instillation of 9-alpha-fluoroprednisolone acetate and presentation of a personal case. Min Med (Italy) 71:563–566
Coers C, Telerman Toppet N, Cremer M (1971) Progressive vacuolar myopathy in steatorrhea. Arch Neurol 24:217–227
Corbett AJ, Pollock M (1981) Experimental potassium depletion myopathy. J Neurol Sci 49:193–206
Funder JW, Adam WR, Mantero F, Kraft N, Ulick S (1979) The etiology of a syndrome of factitious mineralocorticoid excess: a steroid containing nasal spray. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 49:842–846
Gallai M (1977) Myopathy with hyperaldosteronism. An electron microscopic study. J Neurol Sci 32:337–345
Gross EG, Dexter JD, Roth RG (1966) Hypokalemic myopathy with myoglobinuria associated with licorice ingestion. New Engl J Med 274:602–606
Jensen OB, Mosdal C, Reske Nielsen E (1977) Hypokalemic myopathy during treatment with diuretics. Acta Neurol Scand 55:483–492
Mantero F, Faglia G, Adam WR, Funder JW, Ulick S (1979) A new syndrome of factitious mineralocorticoid excess. 61st Annual Meeting of the Endocrine Society, Anaheim, CA (abstract 828)
Martin JB, Craig JW, Eckel RE, Munger J (1971) Hypokalemic myopathy in chronic alcoholism. Neurology (Minneap) 21:1160–1168
McChesny JA, Marquardt JF (1964) Hypokalemic paralysis induced by Amphotericin B. JAMA 189:1029–1031
Mohamed SD, Chapman RS, Crooks J (1966) Hypokalemia, flaccid quadriparesis and myoglobinuria with carbenoxolone. Br Med J 1:1581–1582
Morrison AB, Rawson AJ, Fitts WT (1962) The syndrome of refractory watery diarrhoea and hypokalemia in patients with a non-insulin secreting islet cell tumor. Amer J Med 32:119–127
Owen EE, Verner JW Jr (1960) Renal tubular disease with muscle paralysis and hypokalemia. Amer J Med 28:8–21
Rubenstein AE, Wainapel SF (1977) Acute hypokalemic myopathy in alcoholism. A clinical entity. Arch Neurol 34:553–555
Turner GR, Reed JB, Cole NM (1964) Villous adenomas with electrolyte derangement. Amer Surg 30:467–473
Van Horn G, Drori JB, Schwartz FD (1970). Hypokalemic myopathy and elevation of serum enzymes. Arch Neurol 22:335–341
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Cantello, R., Bergamini, L., Delsedime, M. et al. Hypokalemic myopathy associated with intranasal steroid use (factitious mineralocorticoid excess syndrome). J Neurol 226, 265–268 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00313399
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00313399