[Analysis of calculi by infrared spectroscopy in children from the Moroccan mid-Atlas region].

Calculi from 45 Moroccan children aged between 2 and 15 years underwent morphological and infrared spectrometric analysis. The stones were three times more frequent in males than females (M/F = 3.09). Whewellite was the main component in 51.1% of cases and in 44.4% of stone nuclei, wheddellite in 8.9% of stones and nuclei, carbapatite in 6.7% of stones and 8.9% of nuclei, struvite in 15.6% of stones and 11.1% of nuclei. Ammonium hydrogen urate and uric acid were predominant respectively in 8.9% and 6.7% of stones and in 15.6% and 11.1% of nuclei. In addition to whewellite, struvite and ammonium hydrogen urate were the main components of bladder stones from both sexes. With respect to their calculi, whewellite was present in 84.4% of cases and wheddellite in 26.7%. Purines were present in 46% of calculi, especially as ammonium urate (28.9%) and uric acid (15.6%). Calcium phosphates as the main components were infrequent. In contrast, they were frequently identified in urinary calculi from children, respectively 64.4% and 40% for carbapatite and amorphous carbonated calcium phosphate.