Preliminary results of glycosminoglycans excretion in normal and stone forming subjects: relationship with uric acid excretion.

In calcium lithiasis, pathogenesis inhibitors have a significant role to play which permits raising of the upper metastability limit in the urine, thus reducing the crystallization processes. The aim of this work is to evaluate glycosaminoglycans excretion and concentration in a group of patients with idiopathic calcium lithiasis, and in a control group for detecting possible differences between the 2 groups. Analysis of our results shows that no significant differences exist between the 24-hour average excretion of glycosaminoglycans in normal and stone forming subjects, but there was a significant difference in the mean concentration values between the 2 groups, either as whole or when separately considered with respect to normal or increased uric acid excretion. Particularly interesting was the correlation study between glycosaminoglycans and uric acid which shows a linear relationship with a positive slope in all groups but in stone formers with hyperuricosuria.