ABSTRACT
To determine the prevalence of hypercalciuria in primary and secondary school students. Prospective randomized study. Primary and secondary schools in Makkah and Baha, Saudi Arabia. Seven hundred ninety-six school-age children were included in a study from January 2007 to December 2007. Non-fasting random urine specimens were analyzed for calcium and creatinine concentrations. The mean ratio of urine calcium-creatinine [Ca/Cr] was 0.11; the range was 0.008 to 0.837. Non-fasting Ca/Cr ratios were significantly different between Makkah and Baha and between males and females in both cities. The Ca/Cr ratio was highest in 6-7 years-old students [mean, 0.14 +/- 0.01]. Seventy-eight [9.8%] students were hypercalciuric, 29 [3.6%] were from Makkah and 49 [6.2%] from Baha students. The prevalence of hypercalciuria differed with age. The study showed highly significant difference in prevalence of hypercalciuria between Makkah and Baha. A child's geographic area, age and ethnicity should be taken into consideration when assessing the urinary calcium creatinine ratios