Studies of Bladder Stone Disease in Thailand

Abstract

Twenty-five infants living in villages of Ubol Province and whose ages ranged from 6 to 19 months were given dietary supplements of inorganic orthophosphate and fat-free powdered milk in one study, and dl-methionine and vitamin B₆ in a second study. Freshly voided urine samples were examined for oxal- and uric acid crystalluria. During control periods in the two studies, 25 out of 93 examinations and 20 out of 70 examinations, respectively, showed oxalcrystalluria. Supplementation with orthophosphate completely eliminated oxalcrystalluria, and milk supplementation reduced the occurrence to 7 out of 87 examinations. Uric acid crystalluria occurred in 22 of 83 examinations in the control period of the first study, whereas only 6 out of 73 examinations showed uric acid crystalluria following orthophosphate supplementation and 10 out of 77 examinations during milk supplementation. Methionine or B₆ supplementation was not effective in reducing either oxal- or uric acid crystalluria.