USE OF POTASSIUM CITRATE TO REDUCE THE RISK OF RENAL STONE FORMATION DURING SPACEFLIGHT

• Published in: Aviation, space, and environmental medicine space, and environmental medicine, 2009-03, Vol.80 (3), p.197-197
• Main Authors: Pietrzyk, R A, Whitson, P A, Sams, C F, Jones, J A, Nelman-Gonzalez, M, Hudson, E K
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0095-6562

INTRODUCTION: NASA's Vision for Space Exploration centers on exploration-class missions and includes the goals of returning to the Moon and landing on Mars. One of NASA's objectives is to focus research on astronaut health and development of countermeasures to protect crewmembers during long-duration voyages. Exposure to microgravity affects human physiology and results in changes in the chemical composition of urine, favoring urinary supersaturation and an increased risk of renal stone formation. Nephrolithiasis is a multifactorial disease and development of a renal stone is significantly influenced by both dietary and environmental factors. Previous results from long-duration Mir and short-duration Shuttle missions have shown decreased urine volume, pH, and citrate levels and increased calcium. Citrate, an important inhibitor of calcium-containing stones, binds with urinary calcium reducing the amount of calcium available to form stones. Citrate inhibits renal stone recurrence by preventing crystal growth, aggregation, and nucleation and is one of the most common therapeutic agents used to prevent stone formation.