[Gitelman syndrome in children: true hypokalemia but false Bartter syndrome].

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Gitelman's syndrome or familial hypokalemia-hypomagnesemia and Bartter syndrome share some common features but their prognosis is quite different.

CASE REPORT:

Four unrelated children, aged 5 to 12 years, were studied because they suffered from muscle cramps and/or abdominal pain. Supportive findings included: hypokalemia (2.1 to 2.9 mmol/l), metabolic alkalosis (31 to 34 mmol/l), hyperkaliuresis (5.8 to 7.1 mmol/kg/day), hypomagnesemia (0.58 to 0.64 mmol/l), hypermagnesuria (0.19 to 0.23 mmol/kg/day), hypocalciuria (0.012 to 0.021 mmol/kg/day). Blood pressure contrasting with high renin activity (19.04 to 20.03 ng/ml/hr) was normal. Chloride fractional excretion after oral water supplementation was only slighty decreased and hypercalciuric response to furosemide administration was not observed. Supplementation with magnesium chloride failed to correct hypomagnesemia while potassium chloride improved hypokalemia.

CONCLUSIONS:

Age of onset, tetany manifestations, absence of growth retardation, hypermagnesuria despite, hypomagnesemia, hypocalciuria not improved by furosemide favor the diagnosis of Gitelman's syndrome rather than that of Bartter syndrome initially considered.

• Authors: M Fischbach, M J Hoellinger, J Tersic, B Matz, L Mengus, P Desprez, D Chaigne, C Stoll, A Taimi, U Simeoni
• Journal: Archives de pediatrie : organe officiel de la Societe francaise de pediatrie (Arch Pediatr) Vol. 1 Issue 10 Pg. 916-8 (Oct 1994) ISSN: 0929-693X [Print] France
• Vernacular Title: Syndrome de Gitelman chez l'enfant: vraie hypokaliémie mais faux syndrome de Bartter.
• PMID: 7842074 (Publication Type: English Abstract, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Magnesium
• Calcium

Topics

• Bartter Syndrome (diagnosis)
• Calcium (urine)
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Diagnosis, Differential
• Humans
• Hypokalemia (complications, genetics)
• Magnesium (urine)
• Magnesium Deficiency (complications, genetics)
• Syndrome
• Tetany (complications)