Critical role of oxalate restriction in association with calcium restriction to decrease the probability of being a stone former: insufficient effect in idiopathic hypercalciuria.

The probability of being a stone former (PSF) was calculated according to the method of Robertson in three groups of idiopathic calcium stone formers (normocalciuria (NCa), dietary hypercalciuria (DH) and idiopathic hypercalciuria (IH] during four conditions: on a free diet; on a calcium and oxalate restricted diet for four days and after an oxalate load (200 g of spinach) while on a calcium unrestricted or calcium restricted diet. Combined calciuria (Ca) and oxaluria (Ox) restriction significantly decreased PSF only in NCa and DH whereas the decrease was not significant in IH because of a concomitant significant increase in oxalate excretion. Increase of PSF with the oxalate load was significantly greater on calcium restricted than on calcium unrestricted diets in all groups of patients (4-6-12 times greater in NCa, DH and IH respectively). This shows the critical role of oxalate restriction when calcium is restricted in order to decrease the PSF. Combined restriction is not sufficient in idiopathic hypercalciuric patients to decrease their probability of stone formation.