Objectives: To identify biochemical risk factors specific to each crystalline phase of calcium oxalate (calcium oxalate monohydrate and calcium oxalate dihydrate) in order to allow more specific medical management of calcium oxalate stones and better prevention of recurrences.
Material and methods: The authors compared the urine biochemistry (morning and 24-hour) of 19 patients with stones containing more than 95% of calcium oxalate monohydrate with those of 16 patients with stones containing more than 60% of calcium oxalate dihydrate (calcium phosphate < 12%).
Results: Urinary calcium, expressed as excretion rate and as concentration, and the calcium/citrate ratio were significantly higher in the calcium oxalate dihydrate group than in the calcium oxalate monohydrate group: (9.2 +/- 3.8 mmol/24 h versus 4.4 +/- 1.7 mmol/24 h); (4.9 +/- 2.1 mmol/l versus 2.4 +/- 1.1 mmol/l); (3.3 +/- 1.6 versus 1.6 +/- 0.7). The mean pH of the morning urine was lower in the calcium oxalate monohydrate group, just below the cut-off value of 5.5.
Conclusion: There is a strong correlation between predominantly calcium oxalate dihydrate stones and hypercalciuria or calcium/citrate ratio > 3. The close relationship between urine biochemistry and crystalline phases of calcium oxalate confirms the clinical value of morphoconstitutional analysis of urinary stones. Identification of risk factors, based on stone analysis, allows more specific medical management of the stones and, in the longer term, better prevention of recurrences.