[Hypokalemic periodic paralysis during treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia]

A 40-year-old man was admitted with fever and purpura. He was diagnosed as having acute promyelocytic leukemia, and treated with all-trans retinoic acid. After achieving complete remission, he received consolidation therapy. During the chemotherapy, quadriplegia occurred three times. This was diagnosed as hypokalemic periodic paralysis because of the patient's low serum potassium level. Results of hormone and urine examinations showed no indication of secondary hypokalemia. However, the patient had a history of quadriplegia of unknown etiology at the age of 36. We speculated that in addition to the patient's predisposition to hypokalemic periodic paralysis, chemotherapy including prednisolone, and excessive ingestion of carbohydrate had induced his quadriplegia.