Prevalence of hypercalciuria among school children

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