Thirteen novel CLCNKB variants and genotype/phenotype association study in 42 Chinese patients with Bartter syndrome type 3

Analyze the genotype of 42 Chinese patients with Bartter syndrome type 3 (BS3) and investigate their correlation between genotype and phenotype.

Thirty-six different variants in CLCNKB gene, including 13 novel ones, were found. The whole gene deletion of CLCNKB gene was the most frequent mutation (40%), and the rate of large deletions is up to 55%. Among 36 variants, six (c.1244T>A, c.1468G>A, c.849_851delCTT, c.359G>T, c.1052G>T, and c.1309G>A) and three (c.228A>C, c.1294_1295TA>CT, and c.1333T>G) variants were classified as “likely pathogenic variants” and “variants with uncertain significance (VUS),” respectively. The other 27 variants were classified as “pathogenic variants”. The most common symptoms included: growth retardation (38/42), polydipsia and polyuria (35/42), constipation (31/42), and vomiting (27/42). All patients presented with hypokalemia, hypochloremia, and metabolic alkalosis. The genotype and phenotype association study revealed that who had mutations probably resulting in complete loss of function of both alleles might have severer phenotype. After the treatment that based on indomethacin and potassium chloride, most patients could achieve obvious recovery of growth rate and restoration of hypokalemia.