Renal Tubular Response to Aldosterone in Normal Infants and Children with Adrenal Disorders1

Abstract

The renal tubular response to aldosterone was evaluated in 4 normal infants and 7 children with various disorders of the adrenal cortex. An increase in renal tubular sodium reabsorption was demonstrated in all patients with adrenal disease. In one infant with the salt-wasting form of the adrenogenital syndrome studied prior to receiving any hormonal therapy, the response to aldosteixme administration was comparable to that of older, treated children with the adrenogenital syndrome and infants with simple virilizing adrenal hyperplasia and adrenal insufficiency. Three of 4 normal infants failed to show an increase in renal tubular reabsorption of sodium in response to aldosterone administration. This lack of response to aldosterone was interpreted as being a reflection of the effects of a large sodium load on the relatively immature glomerular and tubular functions of the newborn kidney.