Renal tubular acidosis

Renal tubular acidosis, abbreviated RTA, is a medical condition in which acid accumulates in the body because the kidneys fail to acidify the urine appropriately. As blood is filtered, the filtrate passes through the tubules of the nephron; the resulting metabolic acidosis may come from insufficient secretion of hydrogen ions in the distal tubule or from failure to reabsorb enough bicarbonate in the proximal tubule. The term is reserved for people with poor urinary acidification in otherwise well-functioning kidneys, which separates it from the acidosis of chronic kidney disease. Several types exist, each with its own syndrome and causes. It is usually found incidentally on routine blood tests, and patients may present with vague symptoms such as dehydration, mental status changes or delayed growth in adolescents. The acidosis is a normal anion gap acidosis.