Pioglitazone and nephrolithiasis

Maalouf et  al.1 investigated the urinary biochemical effect of pioglitazone in patients with idiopathic uric acid nephrolithiasis. They showed that pioglitazone not only improved the metabolic syndrome, but also increased urine pH by reducing the acid load to the kidney, raising ammoniagenesis and ammonium e xcretion. However, the study size was small and whether pioglitazone will affect the incidence of nephrolithiasis in patients with the metabolic syndrome or diabetes or both is unknown. The interesting observation by Maalouf et al.
Source: Kidney International - Category: Urology & Nephrology Authors: Tags: Letter to the Editor Source Type: research