[Clinical case of the month. Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis. Report of a case in a Somalian male].

We report the case of a man hospitalized for tetraparesis related with hypokalemia due to a potassium shift from the extracellular to the intracellular compartment revealing a hyperthyroidism. We will discuss different physiopathological hypotheses giving relating periodic paralysis and hyperthyroidism. Correction of hypokalemia combined with a synthetic antithyroid agent and a beta blocking drug allowed complete motor fonctional recovery.