Potato Craving Secondary to Potassium Wasting in Bartter's Syndrome

It has long been thought that particular dietary cravings can be a physiological response to a pathologic or environmental deficiency.^1-3 We describe two boys with Bartter's syndrome who have insatiable appetites for potatoes. We suggest that since potatoes have an especially high potassium content, this craving may be a physiologic attempt to compensate for the potassium wasting associated with this syndrome.

Report of a Case.—Case 1.—This patient was a 4.0-kg male infant who was delivered after an uncomplicated pregnancy. At 2 months of age he began to vomit and have diarrhea. He was admitted twice to anotherer hospital, first at 9 months and again at 3 years of age. Each admission was prompted by dehydration coupled with failure to thrive. The serum electrolytes during each admission were characterized by a metabolic alkalosis and hypokalemia. During the second admission, because of persistence of the alkalosis and hypokalemia despite