ABSTRACT
The fifty four patients with urinary stones(38 men. 16 women) and nine controls on usual constant diet were evaluated with the measurement of urinary minerals. electrolytes, citrate and calculation or net gastrointestinal absorption or alkali by recently devised simple method, i.e., (Na+K+ Ca + Mg)-(CI +1.8P) of urine, to evaluate prevalence of either hypo-or hyper-excretion of each items as well as to see possible correlation between citraturia and net gastrointestinal absorption of alkali. In 24-hour urine measurement, the stone patients in comparison with controls showed hyperexcretion of calcium(p<0.05), oxalate(p<0.05) and sodium(p<0.05) and hypoexcretion of phosphorus( p<0.05), potassium(p<0.001) and citrate(p <0.05). Hypocilraturia(less than 320mg/ dl) was noted in 64.8% of all stone patients though mean urine citrate levels were higher in women compared to men without statistical significance. In view of gender difference, all 24-hour urine analysis except citrate in stone patients were higher in men than women. of which calcium, creatinine, potassium and chloride were statistically significant(p<0.05). A retrograde analysis between citraturia and net gastrointestinal absorption of alkali in both stone patients and controls didn`t reveal any significant correlation. In conclusion, 24-hour urine biochemistries are an influential factor or the stone formation and this study regarding to relation between hypocitraturia and reduced net gastrointestinal absorption of alkali shows no correlation."