[Pseudohypoaldosteronism type 1: an uncommon electrolyte emergency. Report of four cases]

Pseudohypoaldosteronism type 1 is a rare syndrome of resistance to aldosterone manifested by salt wasting, hyponatremia, hyperkalemia, hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis, and hiperreninemic hyperaldosteronism. The syndrome may be genetic, secondary to uropathies and urinary tract infection among other causes or it may occur sporadically. The salt wasting may be systemic and severe or localized to the kidney usually with better prognosis. The clinical picture is prevalent in the first seven months of life, failure to thrive and recurrent vomiting are usually the common clinical signs, an electrolyte emergency in the form of hypovolemic shock, hyperkalemic cardiac arrhythmias and hyponatremic seizures is rare. Four patients presenting with an electrolyte emergency are reported.