Calcium Phosphate Unmasked As The New Kidney Stone Culprit
Latest research led by Professor Andrew Evans of Indiana University in Bloomington, unearths the relevance of a 60- year-old theory of kidney stone formation- a theory long dismissed by physicians. This study was published in the latest issue of The Journal of Clinical Investigation.
Professor Andrew Evans and his team of investigators found tiny crystals of calcium phosphate in the kidneys of people diagnosed as suffering from calcium oxalate kidney stones. The tiny fragments were found deposited in the thinnest part - known as the loops of Henle - of the kidney’s filtration system, which removes nitrogenous waste from the body and maintains water balance. Starting out as small crystals, they eventually grow too large to pass into the bladder.
Two-thirds of all kidney stones are said to be calcium oxalate stones. Just as a granule of sand is the beginning of a beautiful pearl, similarly Calcium crystals are known as the starting point for kidney stones. However, until now the role of calcium phosphate versus calcium oxalate had been unclear.
Calcium oxalate rich foods include spinach, rhubarb, etc, while calcium phosphate is common in milk. But the degree to which they occur in the kidney depends on the individual body chemistry. Currently, those with calcium oxalate stones are advised to reduce calcium oxalate load through diet or drugs.
Earlier in the 1940’s, research had suggested a role in stone formation for calcium phosphate but it had largely been discounted. Marshall said the new study is the strongest evidence yet that it may be important in the early formation of stones.
Researchers found calcium phosphate crystals in every one of the patients who formed calcium oxalate stones. If it turns out that calcium phosphate crystals are the trigger for stone formation, immediate preventive measures may be taken. Marshall said longer-term clinical trials involving 100 to 200 people - with and without stones - would be needed before urologists might start advising patients to adjust their diet and reduce the load of calcium phosphate on their kidneys.
The mystery behind kidney stones remains unsolved. How do crystals, formed in microscopic tubules, grow into oval-shaped stones up to 1 cm in diameter without making large holes in the kidney? Research is making headway to discover exactly that and more!
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