Extrarenal clearance of oxalate increases with progression of renal failure in the rat.

Oxalic acid is an end product of metabolism, and no significant degradation of oxalate occurs in mammals. The sole route of oxalate excretion is believed to be via the kidney. The extrarenal clearance of oxalate in control rats (N = 16) and in 5/6 nephrectomized rats (N = 25) with renal insufficiency was investigated. [14C]oxalic acid, approximately 2 microCi/day, was infused sc by a mini osmotic pump over 4 days. Excretion of 14C was measured in urine, in feces, and in expired CO2. The 14C content of kidney, heart, liver, muscle and bone was also determined at the time the animals were killed. Plasma oxalate was determined by an enzymatic method and by an isotopic dilution procedure. Creatinine clearance in the controls was 1.82 +/- 0.1 mL/min (mean +/- SE) compared with 0.31 +/- 0.04 mL/min (P < 0.0005) in the nephrectomized rats. Plasma oxalate was 5.6 +/- 0.6 mumol/L in controls and 27.0 +/- 3.9 (mean +/- SE; N = 24) in nephrectomized animals (P < 0.0005). The total 14C recovered in urine, feces, and CO2 combined was similar in both groups. The 14C excreted in the feces over the 4-day period was 27.8 +/- 1.5% (of the 14C recovered) in rats with renal failure and 6.5 +/- 0.5% in controls (P < 0.0005). Percent fecal 14C excretion in nephrectomized rats was inversely correlated with creatinine clearance (r = 0.80; P < 0.0001) and directly correlated with plasma oxalate (r = 0.66; P < 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)