Ranawaka et al. BMC Res Notes (2017) 10:618 DOI 10.1186/s13104-017-2949-2 BMC Research Notes CASE REPORT Open Access A child with distal (type 1) renal tubular acidosis presenting with progressive gross motor developmental regression and acute paralysis Randula Ranawaka1*, Kavinda Dayasiri2 and Manoji Gamage3 Abstract Background: Distal (Type 1) renal tubular acidosis (dRTA) is characterized by inability to secrete hydrogen irons from the distal tubule. The aetiology of dRTA is diverse and can be either inherited or acquired. Common clinical presenta- tions of dRTA in the paediatric age group include polyuria, nocturia, failure to thrive, constipation, abnormal breath- ing and nephrolithiasis. Though persistent hypokalemia is frequently seen in dRTA, hypokalemic muscular paralysis is uncommon and rarely described in children. Case presentation: Three and a half years old girl was referred for evaluation of progressive loss of gross motor milestones over 6 months and acute episode of paralysis. Her other developmental domains were age appropriate. Notably, there was no history of polyuria, polydipsia, nocturia and abnormal breathing. Physical examination revealed proximal myopathy (waddling gait and positive Gower’s sign), diminished lower limb refexes and muscle tone. Her serum potassium was low (2.1 meq/l) and she was subsequently investigated for hypokalemic paralysis. Diagnosis of distal renal tubular acidosis was made, based on hypokalemic hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis with normal anion gap, high urine pH, borderline hypercalciuria, medullary nephrocalcinosis and exclusion of other diferential diagno- sis. The child showed complete symptomatic recovery upon commencement of standard treatment for distal renal tubular acidosis. Conclusions: This case report highlights the importance of considering hypokalemia and renal tubular acidosis in the diferential diagnosis of acute faccid paralysis and proximal myopathy. Early diagnosis will prevent costly investi- gations and enable rapid clinical recovery in the afected child. Keywords: Distal (type 1) renal tubular acidosis, Hypokalemia, Acute faccid paralysis, Proximal myopathy Background can be either inherited or acquired. Te genetic basis of Distal (Type 1) renal tubular acidosis (dRTA) is charac- dRTA was described recently as a defect in urinary excre- terized by inability to secrete hydrogen irons from the tion of ammonium [3]. distal tubule. It was frst described in 1946 [1] and char- Common clinical presentations of dRTA in the paedi- acterized by a clinical syndrome consisting of hypoka- atric age group include polyuria, failure to thrive, consti- lemic, hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis with normal pation, abnormal breathing and nephrolithiasis. Tough anion gap, high urine pH (> 5.5), nephrocalcinosis and persistent hypokalemia is frequently seen in dRTA, nephrolithiasis [2]. Te aetiology of dRTA is diverse and hypokalemic muscular paralysis is uncommon and rarely described in children [4]. Tis case report has described *Correspondence: [email protected] a child with distal (type 1) renal tubular acidosis who pre- 1 Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, sented with gross motor developmental regression and Kynsey Road, Colombo 8, Sri Lanka acute episode of paralysis. Full list of author information is available at the end of the article © The Author(s) 2017. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/ publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated. Ranawaka et al. BMC Res Notes (2017) 10:618 Page 2 of 3 Case presentation weakness are rare manifestations reported in children Tree and a half years old girl was referred for evalua- [8] and data on incidence are not available in literature tion of progressive loss of gross motor milestones over [5]. Hypokalemic paralysis had been periodic in several 6 months and acute episode of paralysis. She was frst reported cases of dRTA [9]. Progressive proximal myopa- born to healthy non-consanguineous parents and without thy as the presentation of hypokalemia in dRTA is very family history of motor developmental disorders. Parents unusual and had been previously reported in association were concerned by progressively worsening of difculty with polymyositis [10]. Te unusual presentation was in walking, climbing and standing from sitting position. misinterpreted in the initial stage as a primary neuro- Her other developmental domains were age appropriate. muscular disorder and the diagnosis was revealed only Notably, there was no history of polyuria, polydipsia and after extended evaluation. Limited literature has indi- rapid breathing. Physical examination revealed proxi- cated that this atypical presentation can always be mis- mal myopathy (waddling gait and positive Gower’s sign), interpreted as a neurological disorder highlighting the diminished knee refex and reduced muscle tone. importance of the need of initial evaluation with serum Initial investigations revealed normal serum cre- electrolytes [4]. atine phosphokinase (89 U/l), TSH (thyroid stimulat- Levels of calcium and phosphate are usually normal in ing hormone) (3.73 µIU/ml), electromyogram and nerve dRTA. However, rickets is common in untreated dRTA conduction studies. She also had normal serum cal- because of bone resorption to bufer chronic metabolic cium (2.3 mmol/l), magnesium (0.8 mmol/l), lactate acidosis [11]. Mortality following hypokalemic paralysis (0.57 mmol/l) and ammonia (47 µg/dl). Muscle biopsy is secondary to respiratory failure and cardiac arrhyth- was suggestive of non-specifc myopathy and did not mias [8]. Management of dRTA includes alkali and reveal red ragged fbers, mitochondrial disruption and potassium replacement along with the treatment of the necrosis. MRI brain and spine showed normal fndings. underlying disorder. Her serum potassium was low (2.1 meq/l) and she was Tis case report highlights the importance of consid- subsequently investigated for hypokalemic paralysis. ering hypokalemia and renal tubular acidosis in the dif- Venous blood gases showed metabolic acidosis (pH ferential diagnosis of acute faccid paralysis and proximal 3− − 7.3, HCO 19 meq/l) with a normal anion gap myopathy. Early diagnosis will prevent costly investiga- (8 meq/l). Urine pH was 6.5. Urine was negative for tions and enable rapid clinical recovery in the afected reducing substances and protein. Renal ultrasound child. revealed bilateral nephrocalcinosis. Serum creatinine (32 µmol/l) was normal. She had hyperchloremia (serum Abbreviation chloride—113 meq/l). Urine calcium/creatinine ratio was dRTA: distal (type 1) renal tubular acidosis. high (0.72 mmol/mmol). Tubular resorption of phos- Authors’ contributions phate was normal (> 80%). RR and KD drafted the manuscript. RR and MG clinically evaluated and Diagnosis of distal renal tubular acidosis was made, managed the patient medically. All authors read and approved the fnal based on hypokalemic hyperchloremic metabolic acido- manuscript. sis with normal anion gap, high urine pH, hypercalciuria, Author details medullary nephrocalcinosis and exclusion of other difer- 1 Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Kyn- 2 ential diagnosis. Te child showed complete symptomatic sey Road, Colombo 8, Sri Lanka. Professorial Paediatric Unit, Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children, Colombo 08, Sri Lanka. 3 Nutrition Unit, Lady Ridgeway recovery and achieved all age appropriate gross motor Hospital for Children, Colombo, Sri Lanka. milestones upon commencement of standard treatment, poly-citra for distal renal tubular acidosis. Acknowledgements We would like to acknowledge both the parents and the child for their coop- eration during the management and providing necessary information. Discussion and conclusions Distal renal tubular acidosis in children is mostly heredi- Competing interests The authors declare that they have no competing interests. tary [5]. It can however, occur secondary to obstructive uropathies, drugs and toxin exposure, and autoimmune Availability of data and materials diseases [6]. Potassium depletion in dRTA can be sec- The primers and conditions for thermal cycling, and the datasets used and/ or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding ondary to number of genetic defect in cellular metabo- author on reasonable request. lism manifested as autosomal dominant or recessive [7] condition. Consent for publication Written informed consent was obtained from the proband’s parents for the dRTA in the paediatric age group commonly pre- publication of all personal information contained in this case report. sents with polyuria, constipation, failure to thrive and nephrolithiasis. Hypokalemic paralysis and progressive Ranawaka et al. BMC Res Notes (2017) 10:618 Page 3 of 3 Ethics approval and consent to participate 4. Bresolin NL, Grillo E, Fernandes VR, Carvalho FL, Goes JE, da Silva RJ. A Not applicable. case report and review of hypokalemic paralysis secondary to renal tubular acidosis. Pediatr Nephrol. 2005;20(6):818–20. Funding 5. Batlle D, Ghanekar