[14C]Oxalate absorption by normal persons, calcium oxalate stone formers, and patients with surgically disturbed...

Intestinal absorption of oxalate can be judged from the urinary excretion of orally administered [14C]oxalate. Fifteen normal subjects, 21 patients with "idiopathic" calcium oxalate stone disease and a high oxalate excretion, four patients operated with ileocecal resection, and seven patients operated with jejunoileal bypass were so investigated. We saw no significant difference in the amount of isotope excreted by normal subjects and idiopathic stone formers; 13.6% (SD 5.9%) and 14.4% (SD 6.5%), respectively, of the administered dose was accounted for in the urine. The patients with resection or bypass showed a quite different pattern of isotope excretion, and 18.3% (SD 7.0%) and 36.8% (SD 14.0%), respectively, of the isotope was accounted for in the urine.