Role of Calcium to Citrate Ratio in Predicting Stone Formation in Idiopathic Hypercalciuria Children (2-12 Years Old).

OBJECTIVE: Considering the predictive role of the relatively low urinary citrate for stone formation, especially in hypercalciuric patients, this study is aimed at comparing urine calcium to citrate (Ca/Cit) ratio in 3 groups of children, including patients with idiopathic hypercalciuria with and without renal stone as well as the healthy children.

METHODS: This study was carried out on 96 children (2 to 12 years old) referred to a pediatric nephrology clinic in the city of Ahvaz, Southwest Iran. All the children underwent renal ultrasonography, urinalysis, and measurement of random nonfasting urine Ca, Cr, and citrate. Those with secondary hypercalciuria, urinary tract malformations, and/or functional abnormalities of the gastrointestinal tract were excluded from the study.

RESULTS: The mean Ca/Cit. ratio (mg/mg) in the three groups, including children with hypercalciuric with and without renal stones and the healthy children (control group), was 0.44 ± 0.14, 0.39 ± 0.13, and 0.19 ± 0.08, respectively, which showed a significant difference (P < .001). There was also a significant difference in Ca/Cit ratio between the first and the control group by Tukey's range test (P < .001). Mean urinary Ca/Cit ratio in those with a positive family history of urolithiasis within three groups was 0.42 ± 0.17 and in those with a negative family history was 0.32 ± 0.16 (P = .013). Mean Ca/Cit. ratio (mg/mg) of 0.25 showed a sensitivity of 90.6% (confidence interval: 75.7-96.7%) and a specificity of 81.2% (confidence interval: 64.7-91.1%) to differentiate between the renal stone group and the control group.

CONCLUSION: High Ca/Cit ratio can predict stones formation in hypercalciuric patients, especially in those with a positive family history of urolithiasis. The present study found the cutoff level of 0.25 for Ca/Cit. ratio as the highest prognostic value for renal stone formation.