Association between glomerular filtration rate (measured by high-performance liquid chromatography with iohexol) and plasma oxalate

INTRODUCTION: Secondary hyperoxalemia is a multifactorial disease that affects several organs and tissues in patients with native or transplanted kidneys. Plasma oxalate may increase during renal failure because it is cleared from the body by the kidneys. However, there is scarce evidence about the association between glomerular filtration rate and plasma oxalate, especially in the early stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD). METHODS: A case series focuses on the description of variations in clinical presentation. A pilot study was conducted using a cross-sectional analysis with 72 subjects. The glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and plasma oxalate levels were measured for all patients. Results: Median (IQR) GFR was 70.50 [39.0; 91.0] mL/min/1.73 m(2). Plasma oxalate was < 5.0 µmol/L in all patients with a GFR > 30 mL/min/1.73m(2). Among the 14 patients with severe CKD (GFR < 30 mL/min/1.73 m(2)) only 4 patients showed a slightly increased plasma oxalate level (between 6 and 12 µmol/L). CONCLUSION: In non-primary hyperoxaluria, plasma oxalate concentration increases when GFR < 30mL/min/1.73 m(2) and, in our opinion, values greater than 5 µmol/L with a GFR > 30 mL/min/1.73 m(2) are suggestive of primary hyperoxaluria. Further studies are necessary to confirm plasma oxalate increase in patients with low GFR levels (< 30mL/min/1.73 m(2)).