Distal renal tubular acidosis
Distal Renal Tubular Acidosis (pronunciation: dis-tal ree-nal too-bu-lar a-si-do-sis) is a medical condition that involves an acid-base balance disturbance due to a defect in the kidney's ability to effectively acidify the urine in the distal nephron.
Etymology
The term "Distal Renal Tubular Acidosis" is derived from the following components: "Distal" (Latin distalis, meaning 'remote'), "Renal" (Latin renalis, meaning 'pertaining to the kidneys'), "Tubular" (Latin tubulus, meaning 'a small tube'), and "Acidosis" (Greek acidus, meaning 'sour' and -osis, meaning 'condition').
Overview
Distal Renal Tubular Acidosis (dRTA) is a type of renal tubular acidosis characterized by the kidney's inability to acidify the urine in the distal part of the nephron. This results in a persistently high blood pH (alkalosis), low serum potassium levels (hypokalemia), and various systemic complications.
Symptoms
Symptoms of dRTA can include fatigue, muscle weakness, and periodic paralysis due to hypokalemia. Other symptoms may include increased urine production (polyuria), excessive thirst (polydipsia), growth retardation in children, and bone disease in adults.
Causes
dRTA can be caused by genetic mutations or acquired as a result of autoimmune diseases like Sjögren's syndrome, chronic active hepatitis, primary biliary cirrhosis, or due to certain medications such as amphotericin B, lithium, and analgesics.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of dRTA involves blood and urine tests to measure pH and electrolyte levels. A failure to lower urine pH below 5.5 in the presence of systemic acidosis is indicative of dRTA.
Treatment
Treatment for dRTA typically involves alkali therapy to correct acidosis and potassium supplements to correct hypokalemia. In cases where dRTA is caused by an underlying condition, treating that condition is also necessary.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Distal renal tubular acidosis
- Wikipedia's article - Distal renal tubular acidosis
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