Eicosapentaenoic acid has a preventive effect on the recurrence of nephrolithiasis

With a westernized diet the oxygenated products of renal prostaglandin synthesis are metabolites of the n-6 series and these are known to play important roles in several pathophysiological processes involved in calcium stone formation. As eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) administration is effective for the prevention of hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis, we suggest the use of EPA as a possible method of preventing calcium stone formation.

We administered a highly purified preparation of 1,800 mg/day EPA to 29 patients for 36.4 +/- 22.0 months after therapy for nephrolithiasis. We observed the urinary stone recurrence in these patients over the course of 8 years (before, during and after medication) and studied the preventive effect on the recurrence of nephrolithiasis. We analyzed the effect of EPA administration and compared the findings to those before and after administration.

The incidence rates of nephrolithiasis (times/year) before, during and after the administration of EPA were 0.2283, 0.0693 and 0.1742, respectively. The incidence rate of nephrolithiasis during the administration of EPA was significantly lower compared the findings to those before and after its administration (p < 0.05).

The results suggest that EPA might reduce the risk of calcium stone formation.