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We report the case of a man hospitalized for tetraparesis related with hypokalemia due to a potassium shift from the extracellular to the intracellular compartment revealing a hyperthyroidism. We will discuss different physiopathological hypotheses giving relating periodic paralysis and hyperthyroidism. Correction of hypokalemia combined with a synthetic antithyroid agent and a beta blocking drug allowed complete motor fonctional recovery.

This study examines the links between acculturation and psychological adjustment of 94 Somalian refugee women. On a group level, the preferred mode of acculturation is integration. Somalian women who have lived the longest in Canada identify more as Canadians and perceive more discrimination against themselves and against Somalians in general. Moreover, the endorsement of the mode of acculturation by integration implies a refusal of other modes such as assimilation, rejection and marginalization. Important links are also established between age, the desire to take part in Canadian society and mental health. Young women especially distinguish themselves from the group as they have a tendency to have a higher level of depression. Moreover, those refugees who have emigrated for political reasons wish to return to their homeland and are less satisfied with their life in Canada.

In order to determine the prevalence of deficient activity of the enzyme glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) among the inhabitants of the east African Republic of Djibouti, we analyzed by the methaemoglobin reduction test the blood of 170 Djiboutian males, 81 Afars and 89 Somalis. Eight subjects were found to be G-6-PD deficient, 1 Afar and 7 Somalis (1.2% versus 8%; P = 0.02). We conclude that in Djibouti, health care providers should consider the presence of potential G-6-PD deficiency in their patients, especially in males of the Somali ethnic group. Indeed, many medications are contraindicated in the G-6-PD deficient subjects, and primaquine and pyrimethamine-sulfadoxine (FANSIDAR) have to be considered dangerous anti-malarial drugs for Somali males as long as their level of G-6-PD activity has not been determined. Since in Djibouti many acute falciparum cases are presenting with severe icteric anaemia, we hypothesize that some of these haemolytic anaemias might not be caused by the parasitic infection alone, but that some malaria patients might become aggravated through the administration of haemolytic drugs in case they are G-6-PD deficient. Finally, we propose that our study should be expanded to include the systematic determination of the variants of the enzyme in all subjects found G-6-PD deficient, since the clinical manifestations of G-6-PD deficiency are directly related to the type of variant present.