Gitelman syndrome and Bartter syndrome are hereditary hypokalemic tubulopathies (tubular salt-wasting disorders) with distinct phenotypic features. Gitelman syndrome is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by hypokalemia, metabolic alkalosis, hypomagnesemia, and hypocalciuria.
Clinically, patients with Gitelman syndrome usually present with symptoms during childhood or adolescence. Salt craving, nocturia, muscle weakness to paralysis, titanic episodes, and paresthesias have been reported as the most frequent cardinal symptoms, related to hypokalemia and/or hypomagnesemia.