Low molecular weight proteinuria with hypercalciuria and nephrocalcinosis is a form of X-linked hypercalciuric nephrocalcinosis, a group of disorders characterized by proximal renal tubular reabsorptive failure, hypercalciuria, nephrocalcinosis, and renal insufficiency. These disorders have also been referred to as the 'Dent disease complex' (Scheinman, 1998; Gambaro et al., 2004). For a general discussion of Dent disease, see 300009.

Fanconi-Bickel syndrome is a rare but well-defined clinical entity, inherited in an autosomal recessive mode and characterized by hepatorenal glycogen accumulation, proximal renal tubular dysfunction, and impaired utilization of glucose and galactose (Manz et al., 1987). Because no underlying enzymatic defect in carbohydrate metabolism had been identified and because metabolism of both glucose and galactose is impaired, a primary defect of monosaccharide transport across the membranes had been suggested (Berry et al., 1995; Fellers et al., 1967; Manz et al., 1987; Odievre, 1966). Use of the term glycogenosis type XI introduced by Hug (1987) is to be discouraged because glycogen accumulation is not due to the proposed functional defect of phosphoglucomutase, an essential enzyme in the common degradative pathways of both glycogen and galactose, but is secondary to nonfunctional glucose transport.