Hypocitraturia and its role in renal stone disease

Abstract

For more than 50 years, low urinary citrate (hypocitraturia) has occurred in some patients with renal stones; however, only recently has more interest been generated in the role of hypocitraturia in renal stone disease and the beneficial effect of citrate therapy for the prevention and treatment of nephrolithiasis. The authors review the metabolism of citrate, the clinically relevant history of hypocitraturia, and current literature dealing with the effectiveness of citrate therapy in the management of nephrolithiasis.