Relationship between metabolic acidosis and calcium phosphate urinary stone formation in women.

The relationship between the degree of metabolic acidosis and calcium phosphate stone formation was studied. Furthermore, the reasons why renal tubular acidosis (RTA) and primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) dominantly occur in women, and female stone formers more often produce calcium phosphate stone are discussed. Blood was slightly more acidotic in women than in men in both the urolithiasis and the control groups. Likewise, blood was significantly more acidotic and urinary pH significantly higher in patients with PHPT. Patients with RTA had severe metabolic acidosis, and urinary pH was highest among all groups. Calcium phosphate concentration was significantly higher in women than in men, and was also higher in patients with PHPT than in those with urolithiasis. All patients with RTA had pure calcium phosphate stones. The reasons why females are more acidotic and have more calcium phosphate in stones are suspected to be related to progesterone and urinary tract infection.