The Clinical Status of Hypophosphatemia

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Abstract
Elsewhere in this issue, Aubier and his associates report their observations on eight patients with hypophosphatemia-related diaphragm weakness and pulmonary insufficiency that improved after administration of potassium phosphate.1 An ever-increasing number of case reports have described respiratory muscle failure in critically ill patients with severe hypophosphatemia. The work of Aubier et al. supports the concept that hypophosphatemia may be a treatable cause of respiratory insufficiency.Profound muscle weakness with phosphorus depletion has been well described in both human beings and animals. Indeed, if one induces acute hypophosphatemia by hyperalimentation in an animal that has previously been subjected to weight loss . . .