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Weakness

Up ADEM Brain abscess Brain death Cerebral oedema Cerebral tumours CIPNM CVT CVA Coma Cord compression Delirium Encephalitis Guillain Barre syndrome ICH Meningitis Myasthenia gravis Periodic paralysis Nerve lesions SAH Status epilepticus Subdural empyema SjO2 Tick paralysis Transverse myelitis Weakness

 

Updated Jan 2009 by Charles Gomersall

Acute flaccid paralysis

Causes

Upper motor neuron lesion (early stages)

Brainstem

  • stroke
  • encephalitis

Acute myelopathy

Lower motor neuron lesion

Anterior horn cell

  • polio

Peripheral neuropathy

Disorder of neuromuscular transmission

Muscle disorders

  • hypokalaemia
  • hypophosphataemia
  • inflammatory myopathy
  • acute rhabdomyolysis
  • trichinosis
  • periodic paralysis

Clues to the cause of weakness

Suggestive clinical features Diagnosis
Fluctuating weakness, fatigability, ptosis Myasthenia gravis
Preceding infection, vaccination, diarrhoea, sensory symptoms Guillain Barre
Skin rash Dermatomyositis, vasculitis
Episodic abdominal pain, psychiatric illness Porphyria
History of mosquito bites, asymmetric flaccid weakness, encephalopathy West Nile virus infection
Family history, retinitis pigmentosa, fits, mental retardation, deafness Mitochondrial myopathy
Critical illness, particularly sepsis Critical illness polyneuropathy & myopathy

Drugs which induce weakness

Clinical syndrome Possible culprit drugs
Myasthenia like syndrome Antibiotics: aminoglycosides, quinolones, imipenem, erythromycin, polymyxins
  Neuromuscular blockers
  Antiarrhythmics: quinidine, procainamide
  Calcium channel blockers: verapamil, diltiazem
  Beta blockers
  Magnesium (including magnesium containing laxatives and antacids)
  Phenytoin
  Corticosteroids
  Lithium
  D-penicillamine
  Interferon alpha
  Chloroquine
Myopathy Statins, D-penicillamine, zidovudine, lamivudine, stavudine
Rhabdomyolysis Fibrates

Further reading

Maramattom BV, Wijdicks EFM. Acute neuromuscular weakness in the intensive care unit. Crit Care Med, 2006; 34(11): 2835-2841

İCharles Gomersall, May, 2013 unless otherwise stated. The author, editor and The Chinese University of Hong Kong take no responsibility for any adverse event resulting from the use of this webpage.
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