[Hyperoxaluria in intestinal and liver diseases]

Excretion of oxalic acid in urine was measured in 28 healthy and 97 patients with gastrointestinal diseases. We found significantly higher values in the following groups: patients after resection of parts of the small intestine, patients with sprue and other diseases with malabsorption, patients with M. Crohn of the small intestine, colitis ulcerosa and granulomatosa, patients with chronical diseases of the pancreas gland and patients with cirrhosis of the liver. In 4 patients after resection of parts of the small intestine or pancreas urolithiasis could be verified. Reduction of fat and food without ballast reduced the excretion of oxalic acid in urine. Hyperoxaluria correlied significantly with the following parameters: excretion of fat in feces, exhalation of 14CO2 in the glykocholate breath test, resorption of vit. B12 and the length of resected small intestine. This form of hyperoxaluria is caused by hyperresorption of oxalic acid from food. The mechanism of this hyperresorption is not clarified yet, an important factor seems to be ill resorption of fat.