Nephrolithiasis Prevention by Lemon Juice (LIMONE)

Calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis is a relatively common disease. The prevalence in the general population may range from 10 to 12 percent, and 0.4 to 1 percent of new cases are reported every year according to different series. Without specific pharmacological therapy, the recurrence rate in patient with established diagnosis of nephrolithiasis is extremely high and may range from 15 to 20 percent per year, with a cumulative incidence at five years ranging from 27 to 50 percent.Although genetic factors play an important role in the development of nephrolithiasis, environmental factors such as diet also appear to affect stone formation. Potassium citrate is also effective in preventing stone recurrence in patients with calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis. Low tolerability, however, may remarkably limit the use of these medication. Citrus fruits are a natural rich source of citrate and diet supplementation with juice of citrus fruits may represent a valuable alternative option to supply citrate without exposing the patients to the adverse effects of citrate containing medications. Among the most commonly consumed citrus fruits, lemons contain the greatest concentrations of citric acid (49,2 g/Kg);a half cup of pure lemon juice can provide a daily amount of citrate comparable to that of a standard daily dose of alkali citrate medications.

A few studies tried to evaluate the effects of lemon juice supplementation in patients with calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis, but the findings were flawed by the retrospective, observational design of the study or by the too small sample size that limited the power of statistical analyses and the reliability of the results. This study will be primarily aimed at evaluating whether lemon juice added to standard diet recommendations compared to diet recommendations alone may reduce the risk of new stone formation in patients with recurrent idiopathic calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis. Secondarily, the study will evaluate the effects of lemon juice supplementation on complications of nephrolithiasis such as urinary tract infections, colic symptoms, and hospitalizations for stone disruption or removal, as well as the effects on urinary factors (such as urinary citrate, oxalate, calcium excretion or pH) that may favor or limit stone formations and the relationships between these effects and the risk of stone recurrence.