Metabolic alkalosis and salt depletion in cystic fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis presenting with recurrent vomiting and metabolic alkalosis

“…The kidney responds to this circumstance by accelerating the rate of sodium-cation exchange with resultant alkalosis and potassium depletion. Another reason may be that infants with CF who have unusually high concentrations of potassium in sweat may be prone to develop metabolic alkalosis [1]. Sweat potassium was not estimated in any of our patients.…”

“…Metabolic alkalosis may be the initial presenting feature in many of these reported infants [1,3,6,7,14,15]. Two siblings presenting with recurrent vomiting and metabolic alkalosis but without respiratory symptoms or initial steatorrhoea and ultimately diagnosed as CF, prompted us to re-investigate our patients with CF, especially those with metabolic alkalosis on initial presentation.…”

Chloride losing diarrhoea and metabolic alkalosis in an infant with cystic fibrosis.

“…It is tempting to speculate that excessive sweat losses of chloride, sodium, and potassium, especially if superimposed upon pre-existing fluid and electrolyte depletion, could easily create the abovementioned optimal conditions for the genesis of metabolic alkalosis. Gastric loss of hydrochloric acid, however, might have played a predominant role in some of these reports (Kessler and Andersen, 1951;Di Sant' Agnese, 1960;Arvantitakis and Lobeck, 1973) and intestinal loss of chloride appears to be a plausible explanation in our case. Careful clinical evaluation and balance studies would be required to show a more than coincidental correlation between cystic fibrosis and metabolic alkalosis.…”

“…Metabolic alkalosis has been reported in cystic fibrosis with heat prostration, severe dehydration, and salt depletion (Kessler and Andersen, 1951;Rendle-Short, 1956;Di Sant' Agnese, 1960;Gottlieb, 1971;Arvantitakis and Lobeck, 1973). It is tempting to speculate that excessive sweat losses of chloride, sodium, and potassium, especially if superimposed upon pre-existing fluid and electrolyte depletion, could easily create the abovementioned optimal conditions for the genesis of metabolic alkalosis.…”

Immunoglobulin E in erythema nodosum.

“…Metabolic alkalosis has been reported in cystic fibrosis with heat prostration, severe dehydration, and salt depletion (Kessler and Andersen, 1951;Rendle-Short, 1956;Di Sant' Agnese, 1960;Gottlieb, 1971;Arvantitakis and Lobeck, 1973). It is tempting to speculate that excessive sweat losses of chloride, sodium, and potassium, especially if superimposed upon pre-existing fluid and electrolyte depletion, could easily create the abovementioned optimal conditions for the genesis of metabolic alkalosis.…”