PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Max J Schunemann
AU  - Martina Bertschinger
AU  - Christian Trachsel
AU  - Esther Bachli
TI  - Severe refeeding syndrome after human chorionic gonadotropin diet: a potentially lethal complication
AID  - 10.1136/bcr-2021-244011
DP  - 2021 Nov 01
TA  - BMJ Case Reports
PG  - e244011
VI  - 14
IP  - 11
4099  - http://casereports.bmj.com/content/14/11/e244011.short
4100  - http://casereports.bmj.com/content/14/11/e244011.full
SO  - BMJ Case Reports2021 Nov 01; 14
AB  - We present the case of a young male patient who presented with paralysing muscle weakness due to severe hypokalaemia and hypophosphataemia. The initial patient history evaluations could not establish the aetiology. Only after we reviewed the patient’s history did he reveal that he had been following a severe calorie-restricted regime, the human chorionic gonadotropin diet, which had ended 2 days prior to developing symptoms. This information then allowed us to diagnose severe refeeding syndrome. As a further complication, the patient developed rhabdomyolysis. After correction of serum electrolytes, symptoms resolved completely. This case emphasises the potential harm of severely calorie-restricted diets, often recommended by online ‘experts’. Furthermore, we underline the importance of thorough history taking.