Treatment of idiopathic hypercalciuria and its impact on associated diseases

Abstract

Idiopathic hypercalciuria may be associated with urinary tract infection, hematuria, nephrolithiasis and osteopenia. In order to describe the occurrence of these concurrent conditions related to the variation in urinary calcium and hypercalciuria response to sequential therapy, with a normal protein and low sodium diet, potassium citrate and hydrochlorothiazide; 46 patients older than 4 years, with no urinary tract diseases, sphincter control and normal blood creatinine values were followed-up during 43 months. Hypercalciuria was seen to be associated with kidney stones (EAR 47%; RR 3.3), hematuria (EAR 71%; RR 2.5), urinary tract infections (EAR 57%; RR 3), and osteopenia (EAR 33%; RR 3). A normal value of urinary calcium was achieved with sequential therapy in 43 patients, but during follow-up 32 patients discontinued treatment and hypercalciuria recurred in 44% of them, in association with hematuria and urinary tract infection. Sequential therapy reduced hypercalciuria and the incidence of associated diseases.