Proximal Renal Tubular Acidosis in Methylmalonic Acidemia

A patient with methylmalonic acidemia was found to have a persistent hyperchloremic acidosis. Investigation documented the presence of a proximal renal tubular acidosis. Between 14 and 18 months of age the urinary pH was as high as 8.0 when the serum bicarbonate was 17 mEq/liter and the threshold for bicarbonate was at 16-17 mEq/liter. When restudied at 33 months of age, the threshold had risen to 20 mEq/liter, but this was still abnormal and supplemental treatment was required to keep the serum concentration of bicarbonate above 20 mEq/liter. It is postulated that organic acid metabolites which accumulate in this and related disorders may interfere with renal tubular function as has been shown for maleic acid in experimental animals.