Description

Hyperoxaluria (hi-pur-ok-suh-LU-ree-uh) happens when you have too much oxalate in the urine. Oxalate is a natural chemical that the body produces. It is also found in some foods. But an excess of oxalate in your urine can cause serious problems.

Hyperoxaluria can be caused by a change in a gene, a bowel disease or eating too many foods that are rich in oxalate. The long-term health of your kidneys depends on finding hyperoxaluria early and treated quickly.

Oxalosis (ok-suh-LOW-sis) occurs when the kidneys stop working well in people who have primary and the intestine, the causes of hyperoxaluria. Too much oxalate builds up in the blood. This can lead to oxalate journal of blood vessels, bones, and organs.

Symptoms

Often, the first sign of hyperoxaluria is a stone in the kidney. Kidney stone symptoms may include:

  • Sharp pain in the side, in the lower back in the area of the stomach, or groin.
  • The urine that looks pink, red, or brown due to the blood.
  • Frequent urination, also called micturition.
  • Pain when you urinate.
  • Not being able to urinate or peeing only a small amount.
  • Chills, fever, upset stomach or vomiting.

When to see a doctor

It is not common for children to get stones in the kidney. Kidney stones that are formed in children and adolescents are likely to be caused by a health problem, such as hyperoxaluria.

All young people with kidney stones should have a checkup. The checkup should include a test that measures of oxalate in the urine. The adults that keep getting kidney stones should also be tested to oxalate in the urine.

Causes

Hyperoxaluria occurs when the excess of a chemical called oxalate builds up in the urine. There are different types of hyperoxaluria:

  • Primary hyperoxaluria.This type is a rare, inherited disease, which means that they are transmitted in families. It is caused by changes in a gene. With primary hyperoxaluria, the liver does not produce enough of a certain protein that prevents too much oxalate to be done. Or the protein doesn't work as it should. The body gets rid of excess oxalate through the kidneys in the urine. The extra oxalate can combine with calcium to form kidney stones and crystals. These can damage the kidneys and cause it to stop working. With primary hyperoxaluria, kidney stones are formed early. They most often cause symptoms from infancy until the age of 20. The kidneys of many people with primary hyperoxaluria leaves work well in the early to mid-adulthood. But kidney failure can occur even in infants with this disease. Others with primary hyperoxaluria can never have kidney failure.
  • Hyperoxaluria, enteric.Some intestinal problems to cause the body to absorb more oxalate foods. This can increase the amount of oxalate in the urine. Crohn's disease is one gut problem that can lead to hyperoxaluria, enteric. Another is the short bowel syndrome, which can happen when the parts of the small intestine are removed during surgery. Other health problems make it difficult for the small intestine to absorb fat from food. If this occurs, it is possible to leave oxalate more available for the gut to absorb. Generally, the oxalate combines with calcium in the intestine and leaves the body through the feces. But when there is an increase of fat in the intestine, the calcium binds to the fat in your place. This allows the oxalate to be free in the intestine and is absorbed into the bloodstream. It is then filtered by the kidneys. Roux-en-y gastric bypass surgery can also lead to problems in the absorption of fats in the intestine, which increases the risk of hyperoxaluria.
  • Hyperoxaluria tied to eating foods with a high amount of oxalate. Eating large amounts of foods rich in oxalate can increase your risk of hyperoxaluria or stones in the kidneys. These foods include nuts, chocolate, tea, spinach, potatoes, beets and rhubarb. It is important to stay away from high-oxalate foods if you have diet-related or hyperoxaluria, enteric. Your doctor may also ask that you limit these foods if you have primary hyperoxaluria.

Primary hyperoxaluria. This type is a rare, inherited disease, which means that they are transmitted in families. It is caused by changes in a gene. With primary hyperoxaluria, the liver does not produce enough of a certain protein that prevents too much oxalate to be done. Or the protein doesn't work as it should. The body gets rid of excess oxalate through the kidneys in the urine. The extra oxalate can combine with calcium to form kidney stones and crystals. These can damage the kidneys and cause it to stop working.

With primary hyperoxaluria, kidney stones are formed early. They most often cause symptoms from infancy until the age of 20. The kidneys of many people with primary hyperoxaluria leaves work well in the early to mid-adulthood. But kidney failure can occur even in infants with this disease. Others with primary hyperoxaluria can never have kidney failure.

Hyperoxaluria, enteric. Some intestinal problems to cause the body to absorb more oxalate foods. This can increase the amount of oxalate in the urine. Crohn's disease is one gut problem that can lead to hyperoxaluria, enteric. Another is the short bowel syndrome, which can happen when the parts of the small intestine are removed during surgery.

Other health problems make it difficult for the small intestine to absorb fat from food. If this occurs, it is possible to leave oxalate more available for the gut to absorb. Generally, the oxalate combines with calcium in the intestine and leaves the body through the feces. But when there is an increase of fat in the intestine, the calcium binds to the fat in your place. This allows the oxalate to be free in the intestine and is absorbed into the bloodstream. It is then filtered by the kidneys. Roux-en-y gastric bypass surgery can also lead to problems in the absorption of fats in the intestine, which increases the risk of hyperoxaluria.

Complications

Without treatment, primary hyperoxaluria can damage the kidneys. Over time, the kidneys may stop working. This is called kidney failure. For some people, this is the first sign of the disease.

Symptoms of kidney failure include:

  • Urinating less than usual or not urinating at all.
  • Feeling sick and tired.
  • Not the feeling of hunger.
  • Upset stomach and vomiting.
  • Pale, pale skin, or other changes in skin color attached to having a low number of red blood cells, also called anemia.
  • Swelling of hands and feet.

Oxalosis happens if you have primary hyperoxaluria, enteric, and the kidneys stop working well enough. The body can not get rid of the excess of oxalate, so the oxalate construction begins. First accumulates in the blood, then in the eyes, bones, skin, muscles, blood vessels, heart, and other organs.

Oxalosis can cause many health problems outside of the kidneys, in its final stages. These include:

  • Disease of the bones.
  • Anemia.
  • Ulcers on the skin.
  • Heart and eye problems.
  • In children, the serious problems of development and growth.

Diagnosis

It is likely that you will have a complete physical examination. You may be asked questions about your health history and habits of eating.

The tests for the diagnosis of hyperoxaluria may include:

  • Analysis of urine to measure oxalate and other substances in the urine. Give you a special container to collect urine for 24 hours. It is then sent to a lab.
  • Blood tests to check how well your kidneys are working and extent of oxalate levels in the blood.
  • Stone analysis, to find out what kidney stones are after last them through the urine or got removed with surgery.
  • Kidney X-ray, ultrasound, or computed tomography (CT) scan, to check for kidney stones, or an accumulation of calcium oxalate in the body.

You may need more tests to know for sure if you have hyperoxaluria and see how the disease has affected other parts of your body. These tests may include:

  • The DNA tests to look for changes in genes that cause primary hyperoxaluria.
  • Renal biopsy to check the accumulation of oxalate.
  • Echocardiogram, a test image that can be seen by oxalate accumulation in the heart.
  • Eye exam to check oxalate deposits in the eyes.
  • Bone marrow biopsy to check the accumulation of oxalate in the bones.
  • The liver biopsy to look for low levels of proteins, also called enzyme deficiencies. This test is required only in exceptional cases, when the genetic tests do not show the cause of hyperoxaluria.

If you become aware that you have primary hyperoxaluria, his brothers are also at risk of the disease. You must have proof. If your child has primary hyperoxaluria, you may want to get genetic testing if you and your partner plan to have more children. Medical genetics counselors that have experience with hyperoxaluria can help guide your decisions and the evidence.

Treatment

The treatment depends on the type of hyperoxaluria that is, the symptoms and the severity of the disease. How well you respond to treatment also helps your health care team to decide how to manage their condition.

The reduction of oxalate

To reduce the amount of calcium oxalate crystals that form in the kidneys, your doctor may suggest one or more of the following treatments:

  • Of medicine.Lumasiran (Oxlumo) is a drug that reduces the level of oxalate in children and adults with primary hyperoxaluria. The prescription dose of vitamin B-6, also called pyridoxine, can help reduce the presence of oxalate in the urine in some people with primary hyperoxaluria. The phosphate and citrate prepared by a pharmacy and is taken by mouth to help keep the crystals of calcium oxalate formation. Your doctor may also give you other medications, such as thiazide diuretics. Depends on which other unusual signs are found in the urine. If you have hyperoxaluria, enteric, your doctor also may recommend a calcium supplement to take with meals. This could make it easier for oxalate to combine with the calcium in the intestine and leaves the body through the stool.
  • Drink plenty of fluids. If your kidneys are still working well, your doctor will probably tell you to drink more water or other liquids. This flushes the kidneys, prevents oxalate crystal accumulation and helps to keep the formation of kidney stones.
  • Changes in the diet. In general, it is more important to pay attention to the food options if you have enteric-of or relating to the diet, hyperoxaluria. Changes in the diet may help to reduce the levels of oxalate in the urine. Your health care team may suggest that you restrict foods rich in oxalates, limit the salt and eat less animal protein and sugar. But the changes in the diet may not help all people with primary hyperoxaluria. Follow your health care team for suggestions.

Of medicine. Lumasiran (Oxlumo) is a drug that reduces the level of oxalate in children and adults with primary hyperoxaluria. The prescription dose of vitamin B-6, also called pyridoxine, can help reduce the presence of oxalate in the urine in some people with primary hyperoxaluria. The phosphate and citrate prepared by a pharmacy and is taken by mouth to help keep the crystals of calcium oxalate formation.

Your doctor may also give you other medications, such as thiazide diuretics. Depends on which other unusual signs are found in the urine. If you have hyperoxaluria, enteric, your doctor also may recommend a calcium supplement to take with meals. This could make it easier for oxalate to combine with the calcium in the intestine and leaves the body through the stool.

Kidney stone management

Kidney stones are common in people with hyperoxaluria, but do not always need to be treated. If the large stones in the kidney to cause pain or block the flow of urine, you may need to have been deleted, or is interrupted by what can happen in the urine.

Dialysis and transplantation

Depending on the severity of your hyperoxaluria is, their kidneys work less well over time. A treatment called dialysis who is in charge of some of the work of your kidneys can help. But not with the amount of oxalate of your body does. A kidney transplant or kidney and liver transplant can treat primary hyperoxaluria. A liver transplant is the only treatment that can cure some types of primary hyperoxaluria.

Preparing for your appointment

For the treatment of kidney stones related to hyperoxaluria, you can start by seeing your primary care physician. If you have large, painful, kidney stones, or stones that are damaging the kidneys, you may be referred to a specialist. This could include a doctor called a urologist, who treats problems of the urinary tract, or a kidney doctor, called a nephrologist.

What you can do

To prepare for your appointment:

  • Ask if there is something that you need to do before your appointment, such as the restriction of certain foods or beverages.
  • Write down your symptoms, including any that may not seem to be related to his health problem.
  • Keep track of how much you drink and the amount of urine during a 24-hour period.
  • Make a list of all the medications and vitamins, or other supplements that you take. Include the amount you take, which is called the dose.
  • Have a friend or family member, if possible, to help you remember what you talk about with your doctor.
  • Write questions to ask their doctor.

For hyperoxaluria, some basic questions include:

  • What is the likely cause of my symptoms? There are other possible causes?
  • What kinds of tests might I need?
  • I have kidney stones? If so, what type are they and how can I prevent this in the future?
  • What are the possible treatments that can help me?
  • I have other health problems. How can I best manage them together?
  • Do I need a plan for follow-up visits?
  • Do you have any educational materials that can I carry on? What websites do you suggest?

Feel free to ask any other questions that you think of during your appointment.

What to expect from your doctor

Your doctor may ask you questions such as:

  • When did you first notice your symptoms?
  • Do your symptoms occur all the time or only once in a while?
  • How severe are the symptoms?
  • Nothing seems to help relieve your symptoms?
  • Does anything seem to make your symptoms worse?
  • Has someone in your family has ever had kidney stones?
Symptoms and treatment of Hyperoxaluria and oxalosis