Idiopathic calcium urolithiasis: genetic aspects.

Seventy-nine stone-formers underwent a metabolic investigation and ABO blood group determination. Incidence of blood groups in patients was similar to ABO phenotypes distribution in general population. The 37.7 p. 100 showed family history for stones. Idiopathic hypercalciuria was present in 40.3 p. 100 of cases; stone-formers with positive family history had a higher incidence of hypercalciuria (46.8 p. 100) than subjects without affected relatives (31.5 p. 100). Patients with blood group A displayed hypercalciuria in the 54.5 p. 100 of cases while subjects with blood group O only in the 30.7 p. 100 (p less than 0.05). Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) were reduced in the 36.9 p. 100 of the whole group and particularly in patients of blood group A. Patients with blood group A, with positive family history, showed higher mean values of calcium excretion and lower ones of GAGs. Our results seem to suggest that not only familiar factors play a significant role in stone disease pathogenesis but also some metabolic alteration may be linked to ABO phenotypes.