Hypercalciuria
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Hypercalciuria is the condition of elevated calcium in the urine. Chronic hypercalciuria may lead to impairment of renal function, nephrocalcinosis, and chronic kidney disease. Patients with hypercalciuria have kidneys that excrete higher levels of calcium than normal, for which there are many possible causes. Calcium may come from one of two paths: through the gut where higher than normal levels of calcium are absorbed by the body or mobilized from stores in the bones. After initial 24 hour urine calcium testing and additional lab testing, a bone density scan (DSX) may be performed to determine if the calcium is being obtained from the bones. Hypercalciuria in patients can be due to underlying genetic causes.
Hypercalciuria is the condition of elevated calcium in the urine. Chronic hypercalciuria may lead to impairment of renal function, nephrocalcinosis, and chronic kidney disease. Patients with hypercalciuria have kidneys that excrete higher levels of calcium than normal, for which there are many possible causes. Calcium may come from one of two paths: through the gut where higher than normal levels of calcium are absorbed by the body or mobilized from stores in the bones. After initial 24 hour urine calcium testing and additional lab testing, a bone density scan (DSX) may be performed to determine if the calcium is being obtained from the bones. Hypercalciuria in patients can be due to underlying genetic causes.
Signs and symptoms
There are no clinical signs or symptoms of hypercalciuria itself but elevated calcium in the urine can contribute to accelerated loss of calcium from bone leading to osteoporosis. Additionally, hypercalciuria can contribute to kidney stone formation which may present with flank or back pain that comes and goes. It can be painful to pass kidney stones and in extreme cases cause kidney damage. Patients that both form kidney stones and have hypercalciuria are at increased risk for bone loss leading to osteoporosis.
Dietary interventions
Patients suffering from low bone density, hypercalciuria, and stone formation should increase daily fluid consumption and focus on a low sodium and low protein diet. Reducing calcium intake to attempt to remedy elevated urine calcium has been shown to further progress bone loss without an effect on urine calcium loss.
Pharmacological interventions
The use of thiazide diuretics has been effective in reducing urine calcium loss and has an activating effect on bone forming cells. Potassium citrate in conjunction with thiazide diuretics is another medication that has been shown to have a positive impact on bone formation but also decrease the crystallization of calcium based stones in the kidneys. Other drugs are used to treat osteoporosis, including bisphosphonates, but have not been shown to have an effect on urine calcium levels.
See also
Kidney stones Nephrocalcinosis Dent's disease Hypercalcaemia, elevated calcium level in the blood Vegan nutrition Hyperparathyroidism Vitamin D toxicity
External links
Text derived from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1301076518 under CC BY-SA 4.0; modifications have been made.