High altitude impact on serum bicarbonate in healthy Mexican children: concerning the overdiagnosis of renal tubular acidosis.

Background: Altitude influences bicarbonate levels, it is a variable that is hardly considered in diagnosing Renal Tubular Acidosis (RTA), so it should be a factor to consider when diagnosing this pathology, especially at 2250 mts over the sea level as it is the case of Mexico City. RTA is most often misdiagnosed. Regarding of this, the present study established reference limits for bicarbonate levels in healthy children without pathologies associated with alterations in the acid-base balance in Mexico City and it´s metropolitan area.