Crystal agglomeration is a major element in calcium oxalate urinary stone formation

Crystal agglomeration is a major element in calcium oxalate urinary stone formation.The effects of urines from 36 healthy subjects and 86 calcium oxalate renal stone formers on calcium oxalate monohydrate crystallization kinetics were studied using a seeded crystal growth method in which the solubility, the growth and the agglomeration of the crystals are measured as three separate and system-independent parameters.The urines of healthy subjects were found to increase the solubility and to strongly inhibit the growth and the agglomeration of calcium oxalate monohydrate crystals.The urines of stone formers had