Renal tubular acidosis due to the milk-alkali syndrome

Abstract

A 60-year-old man with a history of excessive ingestion of calcium carbonate presented with azotemia, hypercalcemia and hyperphosphatemia. His acid-base status was initially normal. Following the cessation of calcium carbonate treatment, the hypercalcemia and azotemia disappeared, and the patient was found to be in metabolic acidosis with blunted acid excretion and a urine pH of 6.1. Kidney biopsy showed focal tubular calcification; the tubular damage was apparently caused by hypercalcemia and had resulted in renal tubular acidosis. During the three months of observation since that time there has been a tendecy for spontaneous remission of the renal tubular acidosis. Impaired renal hydrogen ion excretion prevented the development of metabolic alkalosis despite ingestion of alkali initially, and was later responsible for the metabolic acidosis. Renal tubular acidosis occurring as a sequel to the milk-alkali syndrome may aggravate the danger of nephrocalcinosis in this syndrome.