The syndrome of renal tubular acidosis and nerve deafness. Discordant manifestations in dizygotic twin brothers.

The syndrome of renal tubular acidosis (RTA) and nerve deafness is a distinct nosological entity that is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait. We studied a pair of dizygotic twin brothers both with nerve deafness but only one with RTA. Distal RTA was diagnosed in twin A because of inappropriately high urinary pH (6.9) and low net acid excretion (40.0 muEq/min per 1.73 m2) in the presence of hyperchloraemic metablic acidosis, and fractional bicarbonate excretion of 1.6% at a normal serum bicarbonate concentration. The urine minus blood PCO2 differences (U-B PCO2) during a neutral sodium phosphate load and in alkaline urine induced by bicarbonate supplementation were: 11 and 0 mm Hg, respectively. Twin A developed nephrocalcinosis and, after a 9.5-year follow-up period, was 5.3 cm taller than his brother. Twin B remained asymptomatic. Periodic determinations of blood pH and serum bicarbonate were normal and urine pH decreased to 4.6 in the face of ammonium chloride-induced metabolic acidosis. The U-B PCO2 assessed in alkaline urine was 33.5 mm Hg. Audiograms demonstrated bilateral nerve deafness in both brothers. The presence of deafness without RTA has not been previously reported in this syndrome. This report also shows that a primary distal acidification defect is responsible for the RTA observed in this syndrome.