Type 1 renal tubular acidosis in a patient of Type 1 diabetes mellitus: Is it coincidence or coexistence?

A 26-year-old male patient suffering from Type 1 diabetes mellitus got admitted with abdominal pain and high blood sugars. On further evaluation, he was found to have normal anion gap metabolic acidosis without ketonuria and urinary pH was alkaline. The patient was diagnosed as Type 1 renal tubular acidosis (RTA) (distal RTA) and was managed by alkali replacement in addition to control of blood sugars. The association of Type 1 RTA with Type 1 diabetes mellitus has been rarely reported in the literature. The association needs a different attention as diagnosis and management of diabetic ketoacidosis in such cases will be tricky. The case presented here is the first of its kind from our part of the world and second as far as English literature is concerned.