Effect of ethyl icosapentate on urinary calcium and oxalate excretion.
BACKGROUND
The effect of ethyl icosapentate (EPA-E) on urinary calcium and oxalic acid excretion was examined to evaluate whether EPA-E is useful in the prevention of calcium-containing urinary stones.


METHODS
For 6 months, urine was measured daily from 40 calcium-containing urinary stone producers at an outpatient clinic, before and after the administration of 1800 mg/day EPA-E. The urine was measured for volume, urea nitrogen, creatinine, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, uric acid, oxalic acid and citric acid. Serum total cholesterol and triglyceride were also measured.


RESULTS
Urinary calcium excretion was not reduced in any of the patients or particular hypercalciuric groups, nor did the level of calcium change. However, nine of the 25 hypercalciuric patients experienced a significant urinary calcium reduction to the normal calciuric level (a reduction of approximately 44%). It is not known why these particular patients experienced a reduction. Urinary oxalic acid did not change, whether hypercalciuria was present or not.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that EPA-E is not particularly effective in reducing urinary calcium excretion in the hypercalciuric patients, but it needs future investigation because some patients experienced significant urinary calcium reduction.
Konya
E
E
Department of Urology, Kinki University School of Medicine, Osaka-Sayama, Osaka, Japan. urology@med.kindai.ac.jp
Tsuji
H
H
Umekawa
T
T
Kurita
T
T
Iguchi
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001806:Blood Urea Nitrogen; D002118:Calcium / Q000652:urine*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003401:Creatine / Q000652:urine; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008274:Magnesium / Q000652:urine; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019815:Oxalic Acid / Q000652:urine*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000652:urine; D014545:Urinary Calculi / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000652:urine
D014280:Triglycerides; D014527:Uric Acid; C035276:eicosapentaenoic acid ethyl ester; D002784:Cholesterol; D019815:Oxalic Acid; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid; D008274:Magnesium; D003401:Creatine; D002118:Calcium