Congenital secretory chloride diarrhea is an autosomal recessive form of severe chronic diarrhea characterized by excretion of large amounts of watery stool containing high levels of chloride, resulting in dehydration, hypokalemia, and metabolic alkalosis. The electrolyte disorder resembles the renal disorder Bartter syndrome (see 607364), except that chloride diarrhea is not associated with calcium level abnormalities (summary by Choi et al., 2009). Genetic Heterogeneity of Diarrhea Other forms of diarrhea include DIAR2 (251850), caused by mutation in the MYO5B gene (606540) on 18q21; DIAR3 (270420), caused by mutation in the SPINT2 gene (605124) on 19q13; DIAR4 (610370), caused by mutation in the NEUROG3 gene (604882) on 10q21; DIAR5 (613217), caused by mutation in the EPCAM gene (185535) on 2p21; DIAR6 (614616), caused by mutation in the GUCY2C gene (601330) on 12p12; DIAR7 (615863) caused by mutation in the DGAT1 gene (604900) on 8q24; DIAR8 (616868), caused by mutation in the SLC9A3 gene (182307) on 5p15; DIAR9 (618168), caused by mutation in the WNT2B gene (601968) on 1p13; DIAR10 (618183), caused by mutation in the PLVAP gene (607647) on 19p13; DIAR11 (618662), caused by deletion of the intestine critical region (ICR) on chromosome 16p13, resulting in loss of expression of the flanking gene PERCC1 (618656); DIAR12 (619445), caused by mutation in the STX3 gene (600876) on 11q12; and DIAR13 (620357), caused by mutation in the ACSL5 gene (605677) on chromosome 10q25.

Autosomal dominant pseudohypoaldosteronism type I (PHA1A) is characterized by salt wasting resulting from renal unresponsiveness to mineralocorticoids. Patients may present with neonatal renal salt wasting with hyperkalaemic acidosis despite high aldosterone levels. These patients improve with age and usually become asymptomatic without treatment. Some adult patients with the disorder may have elevated aldosterone levels, but no history of clinical disease. This observation suggests that only those infants whose salt homeostasis is stressed by intercurrent illness and volume depletion develop clinically recognized PHA I (summary by Geller et al., 1998). Autosomal recessive pseudohypoaldosteronism type I (see PHA1B1, 264350), caused by mutation in any one of 3 genes encoding the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC), is a similar but more severe systemic disorder with persistence into adulthood.

Bartter syndrome refers to a group of disorders that are unified by autosomal recessive transmission of impaired salt reabsorption in the thick ascending loop of Henle with pronounced salt wasting, hypokalemic metabolic alkalosis, and hypercalciuria. Clinical disease results from defective renal reabsorption of sodium chloride in the thick ascending limb (TAL) of the Henle loop, where 30% of filtered salt is normally reabsorbed (Simon et al., 1997). Patients with antenatal (or neonatal) forms of Bartter syndrome (e.g., BARTS1, 601678) typically present with premature birth associated with polyhydramnios and low birth weight and may develop life-threatening dehydration in the neonatal period. Patients with classic Bartter syndrome present later in life and may be sporadically asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic (summary by Simon et al., 1996 and Fremont and Chan, 2012). Genetic Heterogeneity of Bartter Syndrome Antenatal Bartter syndrome type 1 (601678) is caused by loss-of-function mutations in the butmetanide-sensitive Na-K-2Cl cotransporter NKCC2 (SLC12A1; 600839). Antenatal Bartter syndrome type 2 (241200) is caused by loss-of-function mutations in the ATP-sensitive potassium channel ROMK (KCNJ1; 600359). One form of neonatal Bartter syndrome with sensorineural deafness, Bartter syndrome type 4A (602522), is caused by mutation in the BSND gene (606412). Another form of neonatal Bartter syndrome with sensorineural deafness, Bartter syndrome type 4B (613090), is caused by simultaneous mutation in both the CLCNKA (602024) and CLCNKB (602023) genes. Also see autosomal dominant hypocalcemia-1 with Bartter syndrome (601198), which is sometimes referred to as Bartter syndrome type 5 (Fremont and Chan, 2012), caused by mutation in the CASR gene (601199). See Gitelman syndrome (GTLMN; 263800), which is often referred to as a mild variant of Bartter syndrome, caused by mutation in the thiazide-sensitive sodium-chloride cotransporter SLC12A3 (600968).

Bartter syndrome refers to a group of disorders that are unified by autosomal recessive transmission of impaired salt reabsorption in the thick ascending loop of Henle with pronounced salt wasting, hypokalemic metabolic alkalosis, and hypercalciuria. Clinical disease results from defective renal reabsorption of sodium chloride in the thick ascending limb (TAL) of the Henle loop, where 30% of filtered salt is normally reabsorbed (Simon et al., 1997). Patients with antenatal forms of Bartter syndrome typically present with premature birth associated with polyhydramnios and low birth weight and may develop life-threatening dehydration in the neonatal period. Patients with classic Bartter syndrome (see BARTS3, 607364) present later in life and may be sporadically asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic (summary by Simon et al., 1996 and Fremont and Chan, 2012). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of Bartter syndrome, see 607364.

Bartter syndrome refers to a group of disorders that are unified by autosomal recessive transmission of impaired salt reabsorption in the thick ascending loop of Henle with pronounced salt wasting, hypokalemic metabolic alkalosis, and hypercalciuria. Clinical disease results from defective renal reabsorption of sodium chloride in the thick ascending limb (TAL) of the Henle loop, where 30% of filtered salt is normally reabsorbed (Simon et al., 1997). Patients with antenatal forms of Bartter syndrome typically present with premature birth associated with polyhydramnios and low birth weight and may develop life-threatening dehydration in the neonatal period. Patients with classic Bartter syndrome (see BARTS3, 607364) present later in life and may be sporadically asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic (summary by Simon et al., 1996 and Fremont and Chan, 2012). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of Bartter syndrome, see 607364.

Autosomal recessive pseudohypoaldosteronism type I, including PHA1B1, is characterized by renal salt wasting and high concentrations of sodium in sweat, stool, and saliva. The disorder involves multiple organ systems and is especially threatening in the neonatal period. Laboratory evaluation shows hyponatremia, hyperkalemia, and increased plasma renin activity with high serum aldosterone concentrations. Respiratory tract infections are common in affected children and may be mistaken for cystic fibrosis (CF; 219700). Aggressive salt replacement and control of hyperkalemia results in survival, and the disorder appears to become less severe with age (review by Scheinman et al., 1999). A milder, autosomal dominant form of type I pseudohypoaldosteronism (PHA1A; 177735) is caused by mutations in the mineralocorticoid receptor gene (MCR, NR3C2; 600983). Gitelman syndrome (263800), another example of primary renal tubular salt wasting, is due to mutation in the thiazide-sensitive sodium-chloride cotransporter (SLC12A3; 600968). Hanukoglu and Hanukoglu (2016) provided a detailed review of the ENaC gene family, including structure, function, tissue distribution, and associated inherited diseases.