Hypokalemic periodic paralysis

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Abstract
Skeletal muscle from a case of hypokalemic periodic paralysis has been studied principally by electron microscopy. An unusual clinical feature was profound, continuous, myopathic weakness. Histologically, the main findings were vacuolization and degenerative changes of most muscle fibers. The vacuoles appeared to arise initially from dilatations of lateral cisterns of the longitudinal component of the sarcoplasmic reticulum. But further enlargement and subsequent fusion, large vacuoles, many sarcomeres in length, were formed. Considerable morphologic evidence of a disturbed glycogen metabolism was presented. The morphologic alterations were discussed in terms of possible disturbances in excitation-contraction coupling or carbohydrate metabolism, or both, particularly with respect to glycogen.