Bartter syndrome

Bartter's syndrome is a rare disease that affects the kidneys and causes the loss of potassium, sodium and chlorine in the urine. This disease decreases the concentration of calcium in the blood and increases the production of aldosterone and renin, hormones involved in the control of blood pressure.

The cause of Bartter's Syndrome is genetic and is a disease that passes from parents to children, affecting individuals since childhood.

Bartter's Syndrome has no cure, but if diagnosed early, it can be controlled through medication and mineral supplements.

Treatment of Bartter's Syndrome

The treatment of Bartter's Syndrome consists of the use of potassium supplements or other minerals, such as magnesium or calcium, to increase the concentration of these substances in the blood, and ingestion of large amounts of liquids, compensating for the great loss of water in the urine.

Diuretic remedies that maintain potassium, such as spironolactone, are also used to treat the disease, as well as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as indomethacin, which must be taken until the end of growth to enable normal development of the individual.

Patients should have urine, blood and kidney ultrasound tests. This serves to monitor the functioning of the kidneys and gastrointestinal tract, preventing the effects of treatment on these organs.

Symptoms of Bartter's Syndrome

Symptoms of Bartter's Syndrome appear early in childhood and can be:

Malnutrition; Growth retardation; Muscle weakness; Mental retardation; Increased urine volume; Very thirsty; Dehydration; Fever; Diarrhea or vomiting.

Patients with Bartter's Syndrome have low levels of potassium, chlorine, sodium and calcium in the blood, but have no changes in blood pressure levels. Some individuals may have physical characteristics suggestive of the disease, such as a triangular face, a more prominent forehead, large eyes and forward-facing ears.

The diagnosis of Bartter's Syndrome is made by the urologist, through the evaluation of the patient's symptoms and blood tests that detect irregular levels in the concentration of potassium and hormones, such as aldosterone and renin.