The ability of the kidneys to excrete an acid urine is often assessed by correlating plasma carbon dioxide and urine pH. A low plasma CO2 should be accompanied by a low urine pH, provided that respiratory function is normal. Buchanan and Komrower (1958) consider that the renal excretion of hydrogen ions is normal in children if urine pH falls below 5 0, after a single dose of 0g./kg. of ammoniu...

38 year old woman was admitted with acute onset of quadriplegia. Biochemical investigation revealed severe hypokalaemia with hyperchloraemic metabolic acidosis, alkaline urine, and positive urinary anion gap which are the hallmark of distal tubular acidosis. In addition she also had hypophosphataemia, normoglycaemic glycosuria, aminoaciduria, and hyperphosphaturia suggestive of proximal tubular...

Donckerwolcke, R. A., van Stekelenburg, G. J., and Tiddens, H. A. (1970). Archives of Disease in Childhood, 45, 774. The therapy of bicarbonate-losing renal tubular acidosis. A 2-year-old-girl with severe bicarbonate-losing renal tubular acidosis was treated successively with bicarbonate, THAM, and two diuretics, hydrochlorothiazide and frusemide. Only with hydrochlorothiazide was adequate corr...

Husband, P., and McKellar, W. J. D. (1970). Archives of Disease in Childhood, 45, 264. Infantile renal tubular acidosis due to mercury poisoning. A 9month-old infant with renal tubular acidosis is reported. This illness followed the use of ammoniated mercury ointment for a napkin eruption. Raised levels of inorganic mercury were found in the urine. The patient was treated with alkalis, dimercap...

Renal tubular acidosis is a disease prevalent in childhood, responsible for a decrease in growth due inadequate acid-base levels regulation. It is well known that systemic conditions can generate or accompany nail changes by different pathophysiologic mechanisms, however no one has ever found or reported any association of onychopathy with renal tubular acidosis so far. That is why we would lik...

BACKGROUND Severe hypokalemia is known to cause muscle paralysis, and renal tubular acidosis is a recognized cause. Cystic disease of the kidney is associated with severe hypokalemia. CASE PRESENTATION We report a 33-year-old male patient who presented with generalized limb weakness caused by severe hypokalemia due to renal tubular acidosis, who was found to have renal medullary cysts. CONC...