Treatment Of Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis With Topiramate

Hypokalemic periodic paralysis (hypoPP), the most common form of periodic paralysis, is a disorder characterized by attacks of transient muscle weakness associated with a drop in serum potassium level. The mainstay of treatment is potassium supplementation and drugs that inhibit the enzyme carbonic anhydrase. In this report we describe 11-year-old twins with hypoPP who were treated with topiramate, an anti-epileptic drug known to have carbonic anhydrase inhibitory properties. The patients experienced a decrease in the severity of their attacks upon initiation of treatment. Topiramate may warrant further investigation as a treatment option in hypoPP. Muscle Nerve 43: 127-129, 2011