Sodium Bicarbonate as an Alternative to Potassium Citrate for Kidney Stones

Summary

Kidney stones affect 1 in every 11 people in the US each year. In patients with kidney stones who are prescribed medications for stone management, only 30.2% are adherent to a medication regime and even fewer, only 13.4 % are adherent with citrate medications. Prescription potassium citrate can be expensive for many patients, leading to non-compliance. Sodium bicarbonate is a potential medication alternative that is cheaper and can potentially alkalinize the urine and/or decrease the risk of future kidney stones. However, efficacy of alternatives to potassium potassium citrate are not well studied. This study seeks to evaluate sodium bicarbonate and assess its ability to alkalinize urine in a cohort of patients with kidney stones and compare this to prescription potassium citrate.

Timeline

Start

2026-02-01

Primary completion

2026-08-01

Completion

2028-02-01

Publications

• Background Xue W, Cheng J, Zhao J, Wang L, Peng A, Liu X. Comparison potassium sodium hydrogen citrate with sodium bicarbonate in urine alkalization: a prospective crossover-controlled trial. Int Urol Nephrol. 2023 Jan;55(1):61-68. doi: 10.1007/s11255-022-03387-y. Epub 2022 Oct 19.
• Background Pinheiro VB, Baxmann AC, Tiselius HG, Heilberg IP. The effect of sodium bicarbonate upon urinary citrate excretion in calcium stone formers. Urology. 2013 Jul;82(1):33-7. doi: 10.1016/j.urology.2013.03.002. Epub 2013 Apr 18.
• Background Dauw CA, Yi Y, Bierlein MJ, Yan P, Alruwaily AF, Ghani KR, Wolf JS Jr, Hollenbeck BK, Hollingsworth JM. Factors Associated With Preventive Pharmacological Therapy Adherence Among Patients With Kidney Stones. Urology. 2016 Jul;93:45-9. doi: 10.1016/j.urology.2016.03.030. Epub 2016 Mar 31.
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• Background Barcelo P, Wuhl O, Servitge E, Rousaud A, Pak CY. Randomized double-blind study of potassium citrate in idiopathic hypocitraturic calcium nephrolithiasis. J Urol. 1993 Dec;150(6):1761-4. doi: 10.1016/s0022-5347(17)35888-3.
• Background Ettinger B, Pak CY, Citron JT, Thomas C, Adams-Huet B, Vangessel A. Potassium-magnesium citrate is an effective prophylaxis against recurrent calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis. J Urol. 1997 Dec;158(6):2069-73. doi: 10.1016/s0022-5347(01)68155-2.
• Background Uribarri J, Oh MS, Carroll HJ. The first kidney stone. Ann Intern Med. 1989 Dec 15;111(12):1006-9. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-111-12-1006.
• Background Scales CD Jr, Smith AC, Hanley JM, Saigal CS; Urologic Diseases in America Project. Prevalence of kidney stones in the United States. Eur Urol. 2012 Jul;62(1):160-5. doi: 10.1016/j.eururo.2012.03.052. Epub 2012 Mar 31.

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