Effect of vitamin D supplementation on 24-hour urine calcium in patients with calcium Urolithiasis and vitamin D deficiency

ABSTRACT Purpose: Hypercalciuria is one of the risk factors for calcium kidney stone formation (the most common type of urinary stones). Although vitamin D deficiency is prevalent among urolithiasis patients, the effect of vitamin D supplementation on urine calcium in these patients is still unclear. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective study, medical and laboratory tests records of 26 patients with recurrent calcium kidney stones and vitamin D deficiency treated with 50000IU vitamin D per week for 8-12 weeks were analyzed. The changes in 24-hour urine calcium (24-h Ca), serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25 (OH) D), serum parathormone (PTH), other 24-hour urine metabolites and calculated relative supersaturations of calcium oxalate (CaOxSS), calcium phosphate (CaPSS) and uric acid (UASS) were assessed. Moreover, correlations between changes in 24-h Ca and other aforementioned variables were assessed. Results: Serum 25 (OH) D and 24-h Ca increased after vitamin D supplementation, while serum PTH decreased (p < 0.001, for all analyses). The levels of 24-hour urine sodium and urea increased significantly (p = 0.005 and p = 0.031, respectively). The levels of CaOxSS and CaPSS increased, but the changes were not significant (p = 0.177, and p = 0.218, respectively). There were no correlations between the changes in 24-h Ca and serum 25 (OH) D or PTH. Conclusions: The result of current study suggests that although urine Ca increased in vitamin D supplemented patients, this increase was not associated with the increase in serum vitamin D and may be due to other factors such as dietary factors. Further randomized clinical trials considering other factors associated with urine Ca are warranted.

Dipstick spot urine pH does not accurately represent 24 hour urine PH measured by an electrode

ABSTRACT Objectives To determine whether spot urine pH measured by dipstick is an accurate representation of 24 hours urine pH measured by an electrode. Materials and Methods We retrospectively reviewed urine pH results of patients who presented to the urology stone clinic. For each patient we recorded the most recent pH result measured by dipstick from a spot urine sample that preceded the result of a 24-hour urine pH measured by the use of a pH electrode. Patients were excluded if there was a change in medications or dietary recommendations or if the two samples were more than 4 months apart. A difference of more than 0.5 pH was considered an inaccurate result. Results A total 600 patients were retrospectively reviewed for the pH results. The mean difference in pH between spot urine value and the 24 hours collection values was 0.52±0.45 pH. Higher pH was associated with lower accuracy (p<0.001). The accuracy of spot urine samples to predict 24-hour pH values of <5.5 was 68.9%, 68.2% for 5.5 to 6.5 and 35% for >6.5. Samples taken more than 75 days apart had only 49% the accuracy of more recent samples (p<0.002). The overall accuracy is lower than 80% (p<0.001). Influence of diurnal variation was not significant (p=0.588). Conclusions Spot urine pH by dipstick is not an accurate method for evaluation of the patients with urolithiasis. Patients with alkaline urine are more prone to error with reliance on spot urine pH.

Are patients with lichen planus really prone to urolithiasis? Lichen planus and urolithiasis

ABSTRACT Purpose to investigate whether patients with lichen planus (LP) are really prone to urolithiasis or not. Patients and Methods We performed a prospective analysis of 40 patients diagnosed with lichen planus (LP) (group I), and 40 volunteers did not have LP before (group II). Participants were all checked for urolithiasis by radiological investigations. Blood samples were analyzed for biochemistry parameters including calcium and uric acid. 24-h urine samples were analyzed to investigate oxalate, citrate calcium, uric acid, magnesium, sodium and creatinine. Results Men/women ratio and mean age were similar between group I and II (p>0.05). A presence or history of urolithiasis was detected in 8 (20%) and 2 (%5) patients in group I and II, respectively (p<0.05). Hypocitraturia was the most common anomaly with 35% (n:14) in group I. The rate of hypocitraturia in group II was 12.5% (n:5) and the difference was statistically significantly different (p=0.036). In group I, hyperuricosuria and hyperoxaluria followed with rates of 27.5% (n:11) and 25% (n:10), respectively. The rate of hyperuricosuria and hyperoxaluria were both 5% (n:2) in group II and the differences were significant (p<0.05). Hyperuricemia was another important finding in the patients with LP. It was detected in 13 (32.5%) patients in group I and in 1 (2.5%) participant in group II (p=0.001). Conclusion According to our results, metabolic disorders of urolithiasis were highly detected in the patients with LP. However, similar to the etiology of LP, the exact reasons for these metabolic abnormalities in LP remain a mystery.

Perfil de riesgo litogénico en pacientes con urolitiasis en Paraguay / Lithogenic risk in patients from Paraguay with urolithiasis

The lithogenic risk profile is a graphical representation of metabolic factors and urinary saturation involved in the stone formation with their respective critical values. Aim: To determine the lithogenic risk profile in patients with urolithiasis. Material and Methods: Personal data such as anthropometric, history of diseases and family history of urolithiasis were recorded. Different compounds acting as promoters or inhibitors of crystallization were measured in serum and urine samples, and the data obtained were used to calculate urinary saturation using Equil software. Results: We included 30 men and 43 women with a median age of 45 (34-54) years. Overweight and family history of urolithiasis was reported in 63 and 32% respectively. Crystallization risk was detected in 74% of participants. The most common urinary abnormalities were hypocitraturia in 48% and hypercalciuria in 40%. Conclusions: The lithogenic profile revealed urinary saturation compatible with crystallization risk in 74% of the studied patients.

pH urinario y estado nutricional en pacientes cubanos con urolitiasis / Urinary pH and nutritional status in Cuban ptients with urolithiasis

INTRODUCCIÓN: la obesidad y las urolitiasis son problemas crecientes en el mundo. El pH urinario ácido (bajo) predispone a las urolitiasis. OBJETIVO: determinar la posible relación entre el peso corporal y el índice de masa corporal con el pH urinario en pacientes litiásicos. MÉTODOS: estudio observacional analítico transversal en el que se incluyeron todos los pacientes litiásicos adultos cubanos que se hicieron estudio metabólico renal en el Instituto de Nefrología entre enero de 2011 y diciembre de 2012, que no presentaran ninguna condición con reconocida influencia sobre el pH urinario. Se midió el pH urinario y se hizo minicultivo con una muestra de orina en ayunas. Se midió el peso, la talla y se calculó el índice de masa corporal. La información se procesó mediante el paquete estadístico SPSS versión 15.0. Fue calculada la media, la desviación estándar, máximo y mínimo de edad, peso e índice de masa corporal. Las comparaciones entre las variables se hicieron por análisis de varianza. RESULTADOS: fueron estudiados 1 724 pacientes con una edad promedio de 41,6 años y una relación hombre/mujer de 2,1/1. El pH urinario medio disminuyó 0,23 unidades del sextil de menos peso corporal al de mayor peso (p= 0,00). El pH urinario medio fue de 5,69 en desnutridos y normopesos, en sobrepesos fue de 5,59 y de 5,53 en obesos (p= 0,00). CONCLUSIÓN: el pH urinario en ayunas tiene una relación inversa con el peso corporal y el índice de masa corporal en pacientes adultos con litiasis urinarias sin infección del tracto urinario.

INTRODUCTION: obesity and urolithiasis are growing problems in the world. The acid (low) urinary pH predisposes urolithiasis. OBJECTIVE: determine the possible relationship between body weight and body mass index (BMI) with urinary pH in patients with kidney stones. METHODS: a cross-sectional observational study was conducted in all Cuban adults lithiasic patients who underwent renal metabolic study at the Nephrology Institute from January 2011 to December 2012, and who did not have any conditions with recognized influence on urinary pH. Urinary pH was measured and a mini-culture was performed on a fasting urine sample. Weight, height and body mass index were registered. The information was processed using SPSS version 15.0. Mean age, standard deviation of minimum and maximum age, weight and body mass index were calculated. Comparisons between variables were made by analysis of variance. RESULTS: 1 724 patients were studied with age average of 41.6 years and a male/female ratio of 2.1/1. The urinary pH mean decreased 0.23 sextile units from less to heavier body weight (p= 0.00). The urinary pH mean was 5.69 in malnourished and normal weight patients, it was 5.59 in overweight patients, and 5.53 in those obese (p= 0.00). CONCLUSION: fasting urinary pH is inversely related to body weight and body mass index in adult patients with urinary lithiasis without infection of the urinary tract.

Use of the probability of stone formation (PSF) score to assess stone forming risk and treatment response in a cohort of Brazilian stone formers

Introduction The aim was to confirm that PSF (probability of stone formation) changed appropriately following medical therapy on recurrent stone formers. Materials and Methods Data were collected on 26 Brazilian stone-formers. A baseline 24-hour urine collection was performed prior to treatment. Details of the medical treatment initiated for stone-disease were recorded. A PSF calculation was performed on the 24 hour urine sample using the 7 urinary parameters required: voided volume, oxalate, calcium, urate, pH, citrate and magnesium. A repeat 24-hour urine sample was performed for PSF calculation after treatment. Comparison was made between the PSF scores before and during treatment. Results At baseline, 20 of the 26 patients (77%) had a high PSF score (> 0.5). Of the 26 patients, 17 (65%) showed an overall reduction in their PSF profiles with a medical treatment regimen. Eleven patients (42%) changed from a high risk (PSF > 0.5) to a low risk (PSF < 0.5) and 6 patients reduced their risk score but did not change risk category. Six (23%) patients remained in a high risk category (> 0.5) during both assessments. Conclusions The PSF score reduced following medical treatment in the majority of patients in this cohort. .

Influence of clinical therapy and nutritional counseling on the recurrence of urolithiasis

PURPOSE: To evaluate the influence of combined clinical therapy and nutritional guidance on the recurrence of urolithiasis. METHODS: From our registry of patients with recurrent urolithiasis we selected 57 who had at least 5-years of follow-up. We collected 24h urine samples in order to analyze Ca, Na, uric acid, citrate, oxalate, and Mg concentrations and to assess urine volume. Patients filled out a clinical questionnaire before treatment, and abdominal radiographs and/or ultrasound were performed both before treatment and during the follow-up period. During follow-up, specific and individualized dietary advice was given based on the individual's metabolic disorders. Patients also received specific pharmacological treatment for their metabolic alterations. Outcome measures were metabolites in urine and the urolith recurrence rate. Pre- and post- intervention values were compared using tests as appropriate. RESULTS: Fifty six of the patients were male and the majority of patients were overweight. The mean BMI was 27 kg/m2. Urinary excretion of calcium, uric acid and sodium decreased significantly over the five year follow-up period. The number of uroliths that formed during the 5-year follow-up also decreased significantly compared to pre-treatment values. CONCLUSION: Individualized dietary advice combined with pharmacological treatment significantly reduces long-term urolithiasis recurrence. .

Urolitiasis en el niño / Urolithiasis in the child

La litiasis del tracto urinario es una condición que, por lo general, se asocia a alteraciones metabólicas como hipercalciuria, hipocitraturia, hiperfosfaturia, hiperuricosuria, hiperoxaluria, cistinuria y defecto de acidificación urinaria, pero su etiología es multifactorial, e intervienen en su formación la predisposición genética y los factores ambientales, entre los que la dieta y la baja ingestión de líquidos contribuyen a la formación de los cálculos. En niños y adolescentes las causas genéticas y anatómicas son las principales. La hipercalciuria idiopática es la causa más frecuente en estos grupos etarios, aunque, como en el adulto, los factores ambientales (ingestión dietética de sal, proteínas, calcio y otros nutrientes) pueden ganar importancia para su incremento. Entre los factores locales de la orina que favorecen la formación del cálculo se encuentran, la disminución del volumen urinario, el pH urinario bajo, la tendencia al estancamiento y las infecciones. En esta revisión se analizan brevemente las distintas causas que pueden producir litiasis, valorando la importancia de la ingestión adecuada de líquidos en general, las modificaciones dietéticas que deben realizarse en cada tipo de enfermedad litiásica, las diferentes medidas terapéuticas que deben utilizarse en el cólico nefrítico producido por litiasis, en los casos asintomáticos con litiasis demostrada y en los casos en que la litiasis pueda provocar obstrucción al flujo urinario

Urinary tract litiasis is a condition that is generally associated to metabolic impairments such as hypercalciuria, hypocitraturia, hyperphosphaturia, hyperuricosuria, hyperoxaluria, cystinuria and urinary acidification defect. However the true etiology of the disease is multifactoral and its formation involves genetic predisposition and environmental factors among which diet and low fluid intake contribute to the formation of calculi. The genetic and anatomic causes are the main factors in children and adolescents. Idiopathic hypercalciuria is the most frequent cause in these age groups, although as it occurs in the adult, the environmental factors (diet salt, protein, calcium and other nutrient intake) may be important for the disease. Among the local factors of the urine that may favor the formation of calculi are low urinary volume, low urinary pH, urinary retention and infections. This review briefly analyzed the various causes of lithiasis and assessed the importance of adequate fluid intake, the changes in diet that can be made according to the type of lithiasis, the different therapeutic actions that should be taken in case of lithiasis-caused renal colic, asymptomatic cases with proven lithiasis and in those cases in which lithiasis may obstruct urinary flow

Metabolic assessment of elderly men with urolithiasis

OBJECTIVE: To assess the presence of metabolic disorders in elderly men with urolithiasis. METHODS: We performed a case-control study. The inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) men older than 60 years of age and either (2) antecedent renal colic or an incidental diagnosis of urinary lithiasis after age 60 (case arm) or (3) no antecedent renal colic or incidental diagnosis of urolithiasis (control arm). Each individual underwent an interview, and those who were selected underwent all clinical protocol examinations: serum levels of total and ionized calcium, uric acid, phosphorus, glucose, urea, creatinine and parathyroid hormone, urine culture, and analysis of 24-hour urine samples (levels of calcium, citrate, creatinine, uric acid and sodium, pH and urine volume). Each case arm patient underwent two complete metabolic urinary investigations, whereas each control arm individual underwent one examination. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01246531. RESULTS: A total of 51 subjects completed the clinical investigation: 25 in the case arm and 26 in the control arm. In total, 56% of the case arm patients had hypocitraturia (vs. 15.4% in the control arm; p = 0.002). Hypernatriuria was detected in 64% of the case arm patients and in 30.8% of the controls (p = 0.017). CONCLUSION: Hypocitraturia and hypernatriuria are the main metabolic disorders in elderly men with urolithiasis.

Estudio de la frecuencia de litiasis urinaria por espectroscopía infrarroja en San Luis, Argentina / Study of urinary lithiasis frequency in San Luis, Argentina by using infrared spectroscopy

Se presenta por primera vez un estudio sobre la frecuencia de litiasis urinaria en la ciudad de San Luis, Argentina, a partir de datos de espectroscopía infrarroja. Se analizaron los espectros infrarrojos de 169 cálculos urinarios provenientes de centros sanitarios tanto públicos como privados. Los componentes químicos encontrados fueron oxalato de calcio monohidrato, uratos, fosfato de calcio, fosfato amónico magnésico hexahidrato y de composición mixta. El análisis cuantitativo de los datos, utilizando la estadística descriptiva, permitió determinar el tipo de composición litiásica más frecuente en el total de los sujetos y la distribución de los tipos encontrados según sexo y edad. La frecuencia de oxalato de calcio monohidrato y de uratos fue mayor en hombres que en mujeres correspondiendo a una franja etaria entre 21 y 60 años y entre 41 y 70 años, respectivamente. Esta relación se invierte en los fosfatos de calcio o magnesio presentando mayor incidencia en mujeres. Los cálculos de composición mixta se distribuyen de igual manera entre hombres y mujeres.

A study dealing with urinary lithiasis frequency in San Luis city, Argentina, applying infrared spectroscopy is reported for the first time. The infrared spectra of 169 urinary stones provided by public and private sanitary centers were analyzed. The most frequent chemical components found were calcium oxalate monohydrate, urates, calcium phosphate, magnesium ammonium phosphate hexahydrate and mixed compositions. Quantitative data analysis, performed by descriptive statistics enabled the determination of the most frecuent lithiasic composition for all the cases, as well as its distribution according to the corresponding age and sex. Calcium oxalate monohydrate and urates were more frequently found in men than in women ranging between 21- 60 and between 41-70 years old, respectively. The inverse ratio is determined for calcium or magnesium phosphates, women being the most affected. Stones with mixed composition showed the same incidence in women and men.