Diet, Fluid Intake, Urine Output and Urinary Sodium/Potassium Ratios in Children With Urolithiasis

Abstract

We performed a cross-sectional study on 25 children (17 boys) with urolithiasis with normal glomerular functions at a tertiary care teaching hospital between March, 2018 to March, 2019. Dietary assessment showed that caloric intake was below recommended dietary allowance (RDA) in 68% patients while the median protein intake was 34.3% more. The fluid intake was below the recommended standards in 56%, and 48% of the children had urine output below 1.5 mL/kg/hour. The urinary sodium was elevated in 96% of the children, urinary potassium was low in 40%, and hypercalciuria was seen in 28%. While metabolic causes predominate in childhood urolithiasis, other factors like dietary changes, liberal fluid and low sodium intake are advised for prevention of recurrences as they have a contributory role too.