Population based data on urinary excretion of calcium, magnesium, oxalate, phosphate and uric acid in children from Cimitile (southern Italy).

Abstract

Population based data on 24-h urinary excretion of calcium, oxalate, magnesium, phosphate, uric acid and creatinine were collected from 220 children (aged 3-16 years) living in Cimitile, Campania, southern Italy. Mean excretion rates for 7 days were correlated with age, body weight, body mass index and height. The prevalence of hypercalciuria (greater than 4 mg/kg body weight) and of hyperoxaluria (greater than 60 mg/day) were 9.1% and 1.8%, respectively. The same 20 children were also identified as hypercalciuric when a calcium/creatinine ratio of greater than 0.15 was considered. No significant differences between boys and girls were found in the urinary excretion of the five constituents implicated in urolithiasis. The study data provide additional childhood reference values for urinary excretion of compounds related to stone formation.