Hypophosphatemia: A Common but Overlooked Cause of Cardiac Dysfunction in a Child with DKA

Abstract

Diabetic ketoacidosis in children is associated with a wide gamut of complications, which can be either disease- or therapy-related. Common complications in children with DKA include cerebral edema, acute kidney injury, hypokalemia, hypoglycemia, etc. As opposed to asymptomatic hypophosphatemia, which is common during the management of DKA, severe symptomatic hypophosphatemia leading to life-threatening complications like rhabdomyolysis, hemolysis, respiratory failure secondary to muscle weakness, and cardiac complications are rare. The authors present a case of a newly diagnosed T1DM patient who, during the course of management, developed severe hypophosphatemia leading to arrhythmias and cardiac dysfunction, which improved with prompt recognition and correction.