Acid-base disturbance in adrenal and parathyroid diseases

Aldosterone stimulates sodium absorption in the collecting tubule, which makes the potential more lumen-negative, and secondarily stimulates proton and potassium secretion. Potassium depletion stimulates ammonia synthesis, which increases distal buffer delivery, increases luminal pH in the collecting tubule, and secondarily stimulates proton secretion. This stimulation of the distal nephron acidification by aldosterone can result in metabolic alkalosis. Inversely, aldosterone deficiency can produce characteristic metabolic acidosis with hyperkalemia (type IV renal tubular acidosis). Acute administration of parathyroidhormone (PTH) decreases renal bicarbonate reabsorption in the proximal tubule. Since the effect of PTH is overridden by other factors, such as PTH-induced base release from bone, hyperparathyroidism does not uniformly cause metabolic acidosis.