[Experience of a renal function test unit]

The activity developed during one year in a Renal Function Tests Unit was studied prospectively. Six hundred pharmacological tests (50 tests per month) were done to 453 patients, children and adults. Abnormal tests results were found in 38.4% of the patients. 49.7% of the tests were performed in patients affected with nephrolithiasis or carriers of metabolic anomalies predisposing to renal stones, mainly idiopathic hypercalciuria. The tests were also frequently done to other group of patients affected with urinary tract infection, mitochondrial disease, vesicoureteral reflux, osteoporosis and primary Sjögren's syndrome. The urinary concentrating capacity after desmopressin (37.2%) was the most frequent performed isolated test, although the group of tests to study the renal acidification capacity (58.5%) were the most frequent requested ones.