Oxalate was confirmed as a normal constituent of urine in 1951, but only recently has the significance of calcium oxalate crystalluria and its relationship to urinary tract stone formation been fully recognised. Formation of the sparingly soluble calcium salt of oxalate in the urinary tract is considered the major factor in urolithiasis.
METHOD Enzymatic, Colormetric, Endpoint
PRINCIPLE
Indamine dye has an absorbance maximum of 590nm. The intensity of the colour produced is directly proportional to the concentration of Oxatale in the sample.
DIAGNOSTIC IMPLICATIONS A decreased excretion of oxalate in the urine is associated with hyperglycinemia or hyperglycinuria.
An Increased excretion of oxalate in the urine can be attributed to:
Increases in ingestion of oxalate precursors or oxalate rich foods.
Formation of oxalate due to metabolic defects such as in primary hyperoxaluria.
Absorption of oxalate in a number of gastrointestinal disorders that produce severe fat malabsorption. This is indicative of patients with inflammatory bowel disease, ideal resection, biliary diversion, pancreatic insufficiency, small intestinal stasis with bacterial overgrowth, and following jejunoileal bypass or resection for the treatment of obesity.