Role of acidosis in renal osteomalacia.

Of nine patients with uraemic osteomalacia, the underlying renal lesion was pyelonephritis in seven. All of the patients were characterized by impairment of acidifying power and severe metabolic acidosis. It is suggested that metabolic acidosis may be a definite factor in the pathogenesis of uraemic osteomalacia, possibly by reducing the proportion of trivalent phosphate in the plasma and/or by reducing plasma calcium.