Conservative therapy of uric acid lithiasis: a review of literature

Abstract

Urolithiasis (UL) continues to play an important role in the daily practice of urologists and general practitioners. According to various sources, uric acid nephrolithiasis accounts for about 20% of all cases of urolithiasis. Risk factors for uric acid nephrolithiasis include hyperuricemia, hyperuricosuria, decreased urine output and low urine pH. The major risk factor for UL, low urine pH, is managed by different citrate drugs. Citrate mixtures are strong base salts combined with weak acids which alkalize (neutralize) urine pH, whereas the acid component is metabolised. In patients diagnosed with hyperuricemia, uric acid production can be reduced with the help of xanthine oxidase inhibitors which act as suppressors of xanthine oxidase - an enzyme that catalyzes the oxidation of hypoxanthine to xanthine and xanthine to uric acid which is the end-product of purine metabolism in humans. The medical literature confirms the efficacy of citrate mixtures and xanthine oxidase inhibitors for the treatment of patients with uric acid nephrolithiasis