Pyroglutamic acidosis as a cause for high anion gap metabolic acidosis: a prospective study

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 9; no. 1; p. 3554
• Main Authors: Raibman Spector, Shir, Mayan, Haim, Loebstein, Ronen, Markovits, Noa, Priel, Eldar, Massalha, Eias, Shafir, Yuval, Gueta, Itai
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 05-03-2019; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 692/53/2423; 692/699/317; Acetaminophen; Acid-Base Equilibrium; Acidosis; Acidosis - metabolism; Acidosis - urine; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Cohort Studies; Creatinine; Female; Fish; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Lactic acid; Male; Metabolic acidosis; Metabolism; Middle Aged; multidisciplinary; Prospective Studies; Pyroglutamic acid; Pyrrolidonecarboxylic Acid - metabolism; Pyrrolidonecarboxylic Acid - urine; Risk factors; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Sepsis; Septic shock; Urine
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-39257-4

5-oxoprolinemia (pyroglutamic acid, PGA) in the absence of acetaminophen use has been rarely reported as a cause for high anion gap metabolic acidosis. We investigated the prevalence and risk factors for elevated PGA concentrations among hospitalized patients with high anion gap metabolic acidosis: We prospectively enrolled patients with high anion gap metabolic acidosis hospitalized in the department of medicine. For each patient we collected the main diagnosis, concurrent medications and laboratory parameters. Spot urine samples were tested for PGA concentration. Levels ≥63 µmol/mmol creatinine were considered elevated. Overall, forty patients were prospectively followed. Mean age was 66.9 (17.9) years. Four (6.3%) patients had a high urine PGA level and demonstrated also lower blood pH (7.2 vs 7.3, p = 0.05) and lower serum lactate concentration (17.5 mg/dl vs 23.0 mg/dl, p = 0.04). Additionally, the high PGA level group consisted of more patients with septic shock [2/4 (50%) vs 3/36 (8.3%)] with a trend towards significance (p = 0.07). In conclusion, PGA might have a role in patients with septic shock and acidosis. Being a treatable condition, PGA should be taken into consideration particularly when no other cause for high anion gap is identified.