Bartter's syndrome in pregnancy: a case report and review

Bartter's syndrome is a rare renal tubular disorder, involving juxtaglomerular cells hyperplasia, characterized by normotensive hyper-reninism and secondary hyperaldosteronism, marked renal loss of potassium and profound hypokalaemia. Both clinical and biochemical features are heterogeneous, ranging from the incidental finding in an asymptomatic patient to marked clinical features of hypokalaemia. Inheritance is likely to be an autosomal recessive. We present a case of Bartter's syndrome complicating pregnancy in a Chinese woman. We documented an increasing demand for potassium supplement during pregnancy which stabilized by mid-trimester. The absence of pregnancy complications such as polyhydramnios indicated that the fetus was unlikely to be affected by the condition.