[Urate urolithiasis: pathogenesis and possibilities of conservative therapy].

Urolithiasis is a widespread chronic disease; its prevalence has been steadily increasing over the past 50 years. Urolithiasis accounts for a large proportion urologic diseases, exceeded only by urinary tract infections and diseases of the prostate. Urate urolithiasis refers to a type of urolithiasis, characterized by the formation of kidney stones consisting of uric acid or its salts. In populations of industrialized countries, uric acid is the second or third most frequently occurring stone-forming substance. The article summarizes the data on the global prevalence of both urolithiasis as a whole and urate urolithiasis in particular. The authors provide a detailed overview of the formation of the current concept of the urate urolithiasis pathogenesis and the management of the disease. The main focus is placed on the possibilities and the role of litholytic (stone-dissolving) therapy for urate urolithiasis and the mechanisms of the action of citrate preparations.