Several studies have pointed out that alkaline citrate is one of the most efficient therapeutic regimens in the treatment of idio- pathic calcium nephrolithiasis. In 2001 the Advisory Board of European Urolithiasis Research recommended alkaline citrate, thiazides and fluid intake as the corner-stones in preventing calcium stone formation. Oral citrate administration results in an alkali [...]

Low urinary citrate excretion is a common feature of idiopathic calcium stone disease. Several cut-off values have been pro­posed to classify hypocitraturia. In 1983, Nicar et al. defined hypocitraturia as a 24 hour citrate excretion lower than 320 mg (or 1.7 mmol) while other authors fixed the limit below the normal range. These different cut-off [...]

Introduction and physiological elements Nephrolithiasis is a multisystem disease arising from the siner- gic effects of enviromental, hormonal and genetic factors. The annual incidence of renal stones is between 0.1 and 0.4% and nephrolithiasis shows wide geographical variations. In Eu­rope an incidence of 2000 stones per million of population has been reported. The lifetime risk [...]