Five methods for determining urinary calcium compared.

We compared frequently used methods for calcium in urine with respect to linearity, analytical recovery, within- and between-batch imprecision, bias, and practicability. We assayed serum, lyophilized urine, native urine, and an aqueous reference solution of calcium carbonate. We found that atomic absorption spectrometry and the Corning 940 Analyzer have the widest ranges of linearity; the methylthymol blue method has the poorest analytical recovery. All methods--the aforementioned three plus the Du Pont aca and Technicon RA-1000 methods--had acceptable precision, although random errors were found with the methylthymol blue method, and, except for one type of commercial lyophilized urine assayed by the Technicon method, there were no matrix problems or difficulties with bias. We cannot recommend the methylthymol blue method, but evidently urinary calcium assays can be adequately done with many currently available methods. Intralaboratory attention to methodology should give improved performance in assessment programs.