title: [Clinical analysis of 6 cases of Bartter syndrome].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To summarize the clinical characteristics of Bartter syndrome and investigate its pathogenesis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinical data of 6 cases of Bartter syndrome at our hospital from November 2006 to May 2010 were analyzed retrospectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The onset age of Bartter syndrome was 13-35 years old. The main symptoms included weakness (6/6), paralysis (1/6), numbness (5/6) and tetany (4/6). All patients had normal blood pressure. The biochemical tests showed persistent hypokalemia, metabolic alkalosis (6/6) and hyperreninemia. The pathological examination of deltoid muscle biopsy showed the swelling, degeneration and necrosis of myocytes and the deposition of immunocomplex in myolemma. And the pathological examination of renal biopsy showed the hyperplasia of juxtaglomerular apparatus (5/6) and the deposition of immunocomplex. All symptoms were relieved after a therapy of potassium supplementation or a combination of indomethacin, spironolactone and immunosuppressant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When such clinical features as weakness, paralysis, tetany, hypokalemic alkalosis and normotension are encountered, Bartter syndrome should be suspected. Serum electrolytes, blood gas analysis and activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system should be examined for a definite diagnosis. The treatment of choice includes potassium and magnesium supplementation or in combination with prostaglandin synthetase inhibitor, aldosterone antagonist and immunosuppressant. Immunologic mechanism may participate in the course of Bartter syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, General Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300052, China.
authors.forename: Fang-mei
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Fang-qiu
authors.initials: FQ
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Mei-jun
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Hong-yan
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Zhong-shu
authors.initials: ZS
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Biao
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Ming-cai
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Qiu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001477:Bartter Syndrome / Q000473:pathology*; D001706:Biopsy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult