Bone histology and bone mineral density after correction of acidosis in distal renal tubular acidosis

BACKGROUND: The association between chronic metabolic acidosis and alterations in bone cell functions has been demonstrated in vitro and in animal studies. However, the causal role of acidosis and the effects of alkaline therapy on bone histology and bone mineral density in chronic metabolic acidosis have never been systematically demonstrated in humans. This study was conducted to examine the alterations in bone mineral density and bone histology before and after correction of acidosis among patients with distal renal tubular acidosis (dRTA) METHODS: Correction of metabolic acidosis by potassium citrate was done in non-azotemic dRTA patients, 6 females and 4 males, who had never received long-term alkaline therapy before enrolling into this study. Blood chemistries, serum intact parathyroid hormone, and 24-hour urine collection for the determination of urinary calcium, phosphate, sodium, potassium, bone mineral density determination, and transiliac bone biopsy were done in all patients at baseline and after one year of potassium citrate therapy. RESULTS: Significant elevations in serum bicarbonate (16.5 +/- 3.0 vs. 24.6 +/- 2.8 mEq/L, P < 0.05) and urinary potassium excretion (35.2 +/- 7.9 vs. 55.4 +/-3.5 mEq/L, P < 0.05) were observed after potassium citrate therapy. No significant alterations in other serum and urine electrolytes were found after the therapy. Serum intact parathyroid hormone level was also significantly elevated after one year of treatment (12.8 +/- 7.3 vs. 26.2 +/- 8.7 pg/mL, P < 0.05). Bone formation rate was significantly suppressed at baseline and was normalized by the treatment (0.02 +/- 0.02 vs. 0.06 +/- 0.03 microm(3)/microm(2)/day, P < 0.05). There were non-significant elevations in trabecular bone volume, osteoblastic and osteoclastic numbers. Bone mineral densities in dRTA patients were also significantly decreased below normal values in most studied areas at baseline and were significantly elevated at the trochanter of femur (0.677 +/- 0.136 vs. 0.748 +/- 0.144 g/c m(2), P < 0.05) and total femur (0.898 +/- 0.166 vs. 0.976 +/- 0.154 g/c m(2), P < 0.05) after the treatment. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that alkaline therapy corrects abnormal bone cell function and elevates bone mineral density in dRTA patients, indicating the causal role of acidosis in the alterations of bone cell functions and reduction in bone mineral density. Parathyroid gland activity also may be involved in the adaptation of the body to chronic metabolic acidosis.     

Renal histology and immunopathology in distal renal tubular acidosis.

Renal biospy studies are reported from 10 patients with distal renal tubular acidosis (DRTA). On the biopsies from 6 patients who had associated immunological abnormalities immunofluorescent studies for immunoglobulins, complement, and fibrin were performed. Interstitial cellular infiltration and fibrosis were common findings in patients with and without immunological abnormalities, and were usually associated with nephrocalcinosis and/or recurrent urinary infection. No immune deposits were demonstrated in association with the renal tubules. This study shows that DRTA in immunologically abnormal patients is not caused by tubular deposition of antibody or immune complexes. The possibility of cell mediated immune damage is discussed.     

Proximal renal tubular dysfunction in primary distal renal tubular acidosis

Low-molecular-weight (LMW) proteinuria has been described in patients with primary distal renal tubular acidosis (dRTA). However, other proximal renal tubular dysfunctions have rarely been reported. In this report we describe reversible and multiple proximal renal tubular cell dysfunctions in a patient with dRTA. A 4-year-old girl was admitted to our hospital for investigation of short stature and proteinuria. Laboratory studies revealed a hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis without aciduria, hypokalemia, hypouricemia with uricosuria, hypercalciuria, LMW proteinuria, phosphaturia, and generalized aminoaciduria. The patient was diagnosed as having dRTA with multiple proximal renal tubular dysfunctions. All proximal renal tubular dysfunction subsided 1.5 years after starting alkali therapy. The precise pathogenic mechanisms underlying the development of multiple proximal renal tubular dysfunctions in dRTA remained unclear. However, proximal renal tubular endosomal dysfunction resulting from a profound intracellular acidosis caused by vacuolar H⁺-ATPase dysfunction or hypokalemic nephropathy might contribute to the development of proximal renal tubular dysfunctions in patients with dRTA.     

Incomplete renal tubular acidosis and bone mineral density: a population survey in an area of endemic renal tubular acidosis.

BACKGROUND: 'Primary' osteoporosis has been associated with a high incidence of a renal acidification defect, incomplete renal tubular acidosis (iRTA). An acid loading test, to exclude the defect, has been recommended for inclusion in the work-up of osteoporosis. However, there is no community-based study to confirm its utility. METHOD: A community-based survey was conducted in the Khon Kaen province, Thailand, between January and June, 2000. We randomly enrolled 361 apparently healthy adults, 146 men and 215 women, in this study. The bone mineral densities (BMDs) of the spine and femur were determined in all subjects. The diagnosis of iRTA was based on: normal serum electrolytes and one or both of first morning urinary pH >5.5 or the failure of an acid loading test to decrease it to >5.5. Dietary diaries, serum electrolyte tests and 24 h urine collections were obtained from all iRTA subjects. RESULTS: There were 23 (6.4%) iRTA subjects in the population studied. The age, height, weight and calcium intake were comparable between iRTA and normal subjects, as were the BMDs of spine and femur. There was no difference between the two groups in the distributions of BMD with age for either area. Multiple regression analyses of the studied population demonstrated that age, body weight, duration of menopause and gender (only for the femoral neck) were independent variables that affected BMD. CONCLUSION: Incomplete distal renal tubular acidosis alone was not associated with lower bone mass in this cohort. It may nevertheless be valuable to monitor serum electrolytes and BMD in patients with iRTA due to their tendency to develop intermittent metabolic acidosis.     

Experimental models of distal renal tubular acidosis

A number of potential defects may impair acidification either directly or indirectly in the CCT, the OMCT, the IMCD, or in all segments. These defects are summarized in Table 1. Findings from studies in animal models of DRTA have enhanced out understanding of the pathophysiological basis of these disorders. Nevertheless, considerable effort needs to be directed in the future toward defining the cellular basis of these defects, especially in the inherited forms of classical hypokalemic DRTA, for which an adequate experimental model does not yet exist.     

远端肾小管酸中毒的诊断和治疗

报告远端肾小管酸中毒１６例，其中完全型２例，不完全型１４例。完全型有高氯低钾性酸中毒，不完全型无酸中毒，但氯化铵负荷试验阳性。在口服枸橼酸钾期间，两型均观察到尿钙明显降低，尿ｐＨ和枸橼酸显著升高，完全型代谢性酸中毒得到纠正。对远端肾小管酸中毒的诊断和治疗进行了讨论。     

Biochemical and genetic advances in distal renal tubular acidosis

Distal renal tubular acidosis is a constellation of syndromes arising from different derangements of tubular acid transport. Recent advances in the biology of urinary acidification have allowed us to discern various molecular mechanisms responsible for these syndromes. This article relates clinical disorders of distal acidification to the underlying defective mechanisms responsible for them. A clinical classification of these disorders is presented which integrates each disorder with the prevailing serum potassium concentration. That distal renal tubular acidosis can be associated with low, normal, or high serum potassium concentration is now explainable by identifying the specific defect in transport causing each syndrome.     

Screening renal stone formers for distal renal tubular acidosis

A group of 110 consecutive renal stone formers were screened for distal renal tubular acidosis (RTA) using morning fasting urinary pH (mfUpH) levels followed by a short ammonium chloride loading test in patients with levels above 6.0. In 14 patients (12.7%) a renal acidification defect was noted; 13 had incomplete and 1 had complete distal RTA. Distal RTA was found particularly in recurrent stone formers (17%), and especially in those with bilateral stone disease, where a distal renal tubular acidification defect was found in 50%. We have been unable to differentiate primary from secondary RTA in renal stone formers. Regardless of whether the acidification defect is primary or secondary to stone formation, however, all renal stone formers with distal RTA can expect to benefit from prophylactic alkaline therapy and it is recommended that the screening procedure, which is easy to use in daily clinical practice, is applied to all stone formers and not restricted to patients with recurrent stone disease.     

Secondary erythrocytosis associated with distal renal tubular acidosis

AIMS: Diagnosis and classification of renal tubular acidosis (RTA) have traditionally been made on the basis of functional studies. Despite recent expanding knowledge about the molecular abnormalities involved in renal bicarbonate (HCO3-) and H+ transport, the pathophysiology of secondary erythrocytosis in association with distal RTA remains obscure. CASE HISTORY: A 2-month-old boy with severe hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis with positive urine anion gap was diagnosed with distal RTA. Replacement therapy with sodium bicarbonate and potassium citrate succeeded in improving his metabolic acidosis and growth. His renal function remained normal. He had persistent erythrocytosis. CONCLUSION: Secondary erythrocytosis is a rarely reported association of distal RTA. It may increase the risk of thromboembolism.     

Hyperammonaemia in a child with distal renal tubular acidosis

A 5-month-old girl with distal renal tubular acidosis (RTA) and hyperammonaemia that had lasted for 12 days, despite metabolic acidosis correction, is presented in this report. The patient showed failure to thrive, poor feeding, hypotonia and vomiting crisis in absence of inborn errors of metabolism. Probably, hyperammonaemia was the result of an imbalance between the increased ammonia synthesis, in response to metabolic acidosis, and the impaired ammonia excretion, typical of distal RTA. Our case confirms that hyperammonaemia may be observed in distal RTA, mimicking an inborn error of metabolism, and it underlines that hyperammonaemia may persist several days after metabolic acidosis correction.     

Hyperkalemic distal renal tubular acidosis associated with Rett syndrome

Renal function was studied in a 7-year-old girl with Rett syndrome (RS) complicated by persistent hyperchloremic hyperkalemic metabolic acidosis. The acidosis was associated with a urine pH above 5.5, positive urinary anion gap and decreased potassium excretion. Plasma renin activity, aldosterone and cortisol levels were normal. Therapy with sodium bicarbonate failed to lower urine pH below 5.5 or increase potassium excretion. Hydrochlorothiazide administration resulted in a fall in urine pH below 5.5 and an increase in potassium excretion as a result of increased distal sodium delivery and increased sodium reabsorption in the distal nephron. We conclude that a voltage-dependent type of derangement in the distal nephron, rather than aldosterone deficiency, is responsible for the impairment in urinary acidification observed in this patient. Early detection of impaired renal acidification in RS may prevent or slow the progression of growth failure.     

Atypical distal renal tubular acidosis confirmed by mutation analysis

In autosomal dominant distal renal tubular acidosis type I (dRTA) impaired hydrogen ion secretion is associated with metabolic acidosis, hyperchloremic hypokalemia, hypercalciuria, nephrocalcinosis, and/or nephrolithiasis. A retardation of growth is commonly observed. In this report we present a family with autosomal dominant dRTA with an atypical and discordant clinical picture. The father presented with severe nephrocalcinosis, nephrolithiasis, and isosthenuria but metabolic acidosis was absent. His 6-year-old daughter, however, suffered from metabolic acidosis, hypokalemia, and hypercalciuria. In addition, sonography revealed multiple bilateral renal cysts but no nephrocalcinosis. Mutation analysis of the AE1 gene coding for the renal Cl^–/HCO₃ ^–- exchanger AE1 displayed a heterozygous Arg589Cys exchange in both patients but not in the healthy family members. This point mutation is frequently associated with autosomal dominant dRTA. Diagnosis of autosomal dominant dRTA is supported in this family by results of AE1 mutation analysis. Received: 13 April 2000 / Revised: 23 June 2000 / Accepted: 26 June 2000