A comparison of induced effects on urinary calcium by thiazides and different dietary salt doses: Implications in clinical practice. / Comparación de los efectos inducidos sobre la calciuria por tiazidas y diferentes dosis de sal en la dieta: implicaciones en la práctica clínica.

INTRODUCTION: Both dietary restriction of sodium chloride (NaCl) and treatment with thiazides have been used in hypercalciuric patients. OBJECTIVES: To calculate regular salt intake and investigate the correlation between natriuresis and urinary calcium with usual diet (B) and after changing the amount of NaCl intake and administration of thiazides. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Nineteen healthy young individuals had their diet replaced by 2l of Nutrison® Low Sodium (500mg sodium/day) daily for two days. Then, 5g of NaCl were added every two days («5¼, «10¼ and «15¼), administering 50mg (H50) and 100mg (H100) of Higroton® on the last two days. Blood sodium, plasma renin activity (PRA) and aldosterone were determined in venous blood samples, as were urinary sodium and calcium. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Wilcoxon t-test and the Pearson linear correlation were calculated. RESULTS: Urinary Na (mEq/24h): 210.3±87.6 («B¼); 42.7±20.4 («5¼); 135.5±50.6 («10¼); 225.5±56.7 («15¼). Urinary calcium (mg/24h): 207.8±93.6 («B¼); 172.8±63.1 («5¼); 206.2±87.7 («10¼); 227.4±84.1 («15¼). A positive correlation was observed between natriuresis and urinary calcium in «10¼ (r=0.47) and «15¼ (r=0.67). After Higroton®, natriuresis: 232.3±50.7; 377±4 (H50); 341.1±68.4 (H100); Ca in urine: 209.8±57.4; 213.2±67.6 (H50); 159.1±52.2 (H100). CONCLUSIONS: Salt intake in the population studied was estimated to be 14.9±4.9g/day with a positive correlation found between sodium and calcium urine output with daily intakes of 11.25 and 16.25g of salt. With the usual intake, for each gram of salt, urinary calcium increased by 5.46 mg/24 h and with 100mg of Higroton® it decreased by 50.7mg/24h. These data could be useful for the management of patients with excretory hypercalciuria or hypoparathyroidism.

Health-Care Costs, Glycemic Control and Nutritional Status in Malnourished Older Diabetics Treated with a Hypercaloric Diabetes-Specific Enteral Nutritional Formula.

Diabetes-specific formulas are an effective alternative for providing nutrients and maintaining glycemic control. This study assesses the effect of treatment with an oral enteral nutrition with a hypercaloric diabetes-specific formula (HDSF) for one year, on health-care resources use, health-care costs, glucose control and nutritional status, in 93 type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) malnourished patients. Changes in health-care resources use and health-care costs were collected the year before and during the year of intervention. Glucose status and nutritional laboratory parameters were analyzed at baseline and one-year after the administration of HDSF. The administration of HDSF was significantly associated with a reduced use of health-care resources, fewer hospital admissions (54.7%; p < 0.001), days spent at hospital (64.1%; p < 0.001) and emergency visits (57.7%; p < 0.001). Health-care costs were reduced by 65.6% (p < 0.001) during the intervention. Glycemic control (short- and long-term) and the need of pharmacological treatment did not change, while some nutritional parameters were improved at one year (albumin: +10.6%, p < 0.001; hemoglobin: +6.4%, p = 0.026). In conclusion, using HDSF in malnourished older type-2 diabetic patients may allow increasing energy intake while maintaining glucose control and improving nutritional parameters. The use of health-care resources and costs were significantly reduced during the nutritional intervention.