Effects of a cation exchange resin on intestinal calcium absorption and urinary calcium in calcium stone formers.

The effect on the urinary excretion of calcium of an oral cation exchange resin without phosphorus was studied in healthy control subjects and patients with recurrent calcium lithiasis under out-patient conditions. An immediate reduction of intestinal calcium absorption and urinary calcium excretion was found in five control subjects and in one patient after ingestion of resin, whereas calcium excretion remained unchanged in all other patients during long-term treatment. In addition, signs of mild transitory hyperparathyroidism together with an increase in intestinal calcium transport were observed during treatment. It is suggested that intraluminal binding of calcium ions to the resin leads to substantial changes in calcium metabolism with the result that urinary calcium excretion returns to pre-treatment values.