Prevention of spinal bone loss by potassium citrate in cases of calcium urolithiasis.

Abstract

We determine if potassium citrate treatment stabilizes spinal bone density among patients with recurrent calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis. We studied a group of 16 men and 5 women with stones taking potassium citrate from 11 to 120 months. They represented all patients from the Stone Clinic who took potassium citrate alone for at least 11 months. L2-L4 bone mineral density data before and after potassium citrate treatment were retrieved retrospectively and analyzed. In the combined group L2-L4 bone mineral density increased significantly by 3.1% over mean duration of 44 months. Z score, corrected for age matched normal values, increased significantly by 3.8%. Urinary pH, citrate and potassium increased significantly during treatment but urinary calcium did not change. Potassium citrate, a commonly used drug for the prevention of recurrent nephrolithiasis, may avert age dependent bone loss. Spinal bone density increased in most patients when it normally decreases.