Reduction of elevated plasma oxalic acid by pyridoxine therapy in patients on RDT

In eight chronic haemodialysed patients with secondary hyperoxalaemia due to renal insufficiency vitamin B6, an important co-enzyme in oxalic acid metabolism, was administered. Mean plasma oxalic acid values decreased from 149.5 +/- 67.0 mmol/L to 99.0 +/- 36.4 mmol/L within two weeks and to 93.8 +/- 33.1 mmol/L after four weeks of pyridoxine treatment (p less than 0.01, p less than 0.01). The mean reduction was 46 per cent (32.0 to 56.1). Patients with high pre-values of plasma oxalic acid had the most pronounced decrease. In order to prevent calcium oxalate deposition a reduction of plasma oxalic acid in patients on RDT seems to be an important goal in long term haemodialysis treatment.