(UroToday.com)In the medical management of stones moderated poster session, Dr. Daniel Jhang presented his research on the impact of vitamin C supplementation on urinary parameters that are crucial in the formation of kidney stones. Vitamin C is one of the most commonly taken supplements and recently the incidence of urolithiasis has risen. This study comes in response to growing concerns over the increased incidence and complexity of kidney stones coinciding with higher vitamin C intake during the COVID-19 pandemic. Vitamin C is thought to contribute to stone formation via oxalate which is byproduct of the metabolism of Vitamin C.
Dr. Jhang opened with an explanation of his systematic review process using PRISMA guidelines. Dr. Jhang and his team conducted an extensive literature search for relevant studies published from 1965 to February 2023. Only interventional studies that assessed the impact of vitamin C supplements on urinary parameters were included. These studies compared results to baseline values or a placebo group. The meta-analysis focused on calculating the mean difference (MD) in urinary oxalate, citrate, and calcium. From an initial pool of 808 studies, nine studies met the criteria for inclusion in the meta-analysis.
The systematic analysis and meta-analyses revealed a significant increase in urinary oxalate levels following vitamin C supplementation. Compared to baseline, the mean difference was 9.72 mg/24h (p < 0.001). When compared to a placebo, the increase was 6.45 mg/24h (p < 0.001). Notably, this effect was consistent in both stone formers and non-stone formers (p < 0.05 for all).
Dr. Jhang concluded that vitamin C supplements significantly elevate urinary oxalate excretion in both individuals with a history of kidney stones and those without. This increase in urinary oxalate could potentially contribute to kidney stone formation or worsen existing stone conditions.
Presented by: Daniel Jhang, MD, Department of Urology, Loma Linda University Health, Loma Linda, CA
Written by: Renai Yoon, Researcher, Department of Urology, University of California Irvine, @renaiyoon on Twitter/X during the 2024 World Congress of Endourology and Uro-Technology: August 12 -16, 2024, Seoul, South Korea