METABOLC ACIDOSIS IN MRCP

Metabolic acidosis is the commonest metabolic disease asked in MRCP exams. I find an easy way to remember the causes, there are two type of metabolic acidosis either can be associated with normal anion gap or increased anion gap ( the commoner type). There is only one important cause for normal anion gap metabolic acidosis. You are right, it is renal tubular acidosis, I would talk about this further in future. Causes of increased anion gap metabolic acidosis are,

MUD-PILES

M- Methanol
U-Uremia ( renal failure)
D-Diabetic ketoacidosis
P-Paraldehyde
I-Infection ( severe sepsis)
L-Lactate acidosis
E-Ethanol, ethylene glycol
S-Salicylates