Metabolic Factors in Urolithiasis: A Study in Brazil

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Abstract
Clinical and biochemical data were obtained from 50 patients in whom stones form and 20 controls to set up and test a screening procedure for detecting metabolic abnormalities related to the formation of urinary calculi and to provide a preliminary estimate of the frequency of these disorders. A comparison between patients in whom stones form and controls in terms of the quantitative biochemical parameters evaluated (serum Ca, uric acid and Pi, and urine Ca, uric acid, Pi, oxalic acid, xanthine and .alpha.-amino-nitrogen) showed a significant difference only with respect to excretion of urinary oxalate by adults, which was higher in patients in whom stones form. Metabolic disorders were detected in 15 adult patients with stones. Of these patients, 9 had isolated hyperoxaluria, 3 had incomplete renal tubular acidosis, 1 had idiopathic hypercalciuria, 1 had heterozygous cystinuria and 1 had idiopathic hypercalciuria associated with heterozygous cystinuria. A high frequency of metabolic abnormalities exist in these stone-formers. The wider use of screening may benefit a large number of patients with preventive and therapeutic measures.