Cataract - nephropathy - encephalopathy syndrome describes a lethal combination of manifestations including short stature, congenital cataracts, encephalopathy with epileptic fits, and postmortem confirmation of nephropathy (renal tubular necrosis). The combination of cataract - nephropathy - encephalopathy has been described in 2 female infant children of first cousin parents. The infants did not survive beyond 4 and 8 months respectively. There have been no further descriptions in the literature since 1963.

Abnormal function of the renal tubule. The basic functional unit of the kidney, the nephron, consists of a renal corpuscle attached to a renal tubule, with roughly 0.8 to 1.5 nephrons per adult kidney. The functions of the renal tubule include reabsorption of water, electrolytes, glucose, and amino acids and secretion of substances such as uric acid.