OHF
Oxalosis & Hyperoxaluria Foundation
What is Hyperoxaluria?
What is Hyperoxaluria?
Hyperoxaluria is when your body produces or absorbs too much oxalate, a substance found in some foods and produced by your body. Usually, oxalate is filtered out through urine, but excess amounts can lead to problems.
Hyper · oxal · uria
Hyper
(too much)
oxal
(oxalate)
uria
(in the urine)
High oxalate levels can build up in your kidneys, forming painful kidney stones. They can also cause issues like calcium buildup in the kidneys, urinary tract infections, and long-term kidney problems.
In severe cases, it can even lead to kidney failure. Working with your doctor is important to manage hyperoxaluria, reduce oxalate levels, and find ways to protect your kidney health.
ARE THERE DIFFERENT TYPES?
There are several distinct types of hyperoxaluria:
Primary Hyperoxaluria (PH)
PH is a genetic disorder that you are born with. It can appear at any age and is sometimes not recognized or diagnosed correctly. One of the most common signs of PH is having recurring kidney stones. If you are an adult or have any kidney stones, talk with a doctor. Early diagnosis and management can help prevent complications and protect your kidney health.
Enteric Hyperoxaluria (EH)
EH is a medical condition where your body absorbs too much oxalate from your food. It happens because of certain underlying conditions that affect your intestines. These conditions include inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn’s disease and malabsorption conditions such as celiac disease, cystic fibrosis, and chronic pancreatitis. Some surgeries that help with weight loss, like Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, can also make you more likely to develop EH.
Dietary Hyperoxaluria
Dietary hyperoxaluria happens when we eat too many foods that contain a substance called oxalate. Some examples of these foods are spinach, rhubarb, beets, nuts, chocolate, and tea. When we consume too much oxalate, it can increase the risk of forming kidney stones.
Idiopathic (Unknown)
Idiopathic hyperoxaluria is a type of hyperoxaluria where the cause is unknown. It means that the body produces or absorbs too much oxalate, which can lead to problems like kidney stones and urinary tract issues.
What causes PH?
Primary Hyperoxaluria (PH) is a rare genetic disorder with three known forms: PH1, PH2, and PH3. It can damage the kidneys and other organs. In PH, the liver doesn’t produce enough or properly functioning enzymes to prevent excessive oxalate production. PH can occur at any age and is often under-diagnosed. Recurrent kidney stones in adults or any kidney stone in a child are common signs of PH.
Causes of Enteric Hyperoxaluria (EH)
Fat malabsorption
Several intestinal diseases, such as Crohn’s disease or short bowel syndrome following bariatric and gastric bypass surgical procedures and/or complications, decrease fat absorption and increase the absorption of oxalate in foods, leading to increased levels of oxalate.
Understanding Dietary Hyperoxaluria
Dietary
This means eating large amounts of foods high in oxalate can increase your risk of hyperoxaluria.
UNDERSTANDING THE SYMPTOMS OF
Primary Hyperoxaluria & Enteric Hyperoxaluria
Primary Hyperoxaluria (PH)
Enteric Hyperoxaluria (EH)
of every million people have PH
Type 1 is the most common form
Types 2 and 3 each account for about 10%
of all patients with gastrointestinal diseases associated with malabsorption
Prevalence of Hyperoxaluria
Approximately 1 to 3 of every million people have PH. Type 1 is the most common form, accounting for approximately 80% of cases. Types 2 and 3 each account for about 10% of cases.
The prevalence of hyperoxaluria has been estimated at 5–24% of all patients with gastrointestinal diseases associated with malabsorption. EH is a frequent complication of inflammatory bowel diseases. The most common risk factors are gastric bypass surgery, inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, and chronic pancreatitis.
How Prevalent is PH?
🔵 PH1 78%
🟣 PH2 10%
🟢 PH3 10%
🟡 Unknown 2%
PH1 accounts for between 70% and 80% of all hyperoxaluria diagnoses. It is estimated that about 50% of PH1 cases are undiagnosed.
How Prevalent is EH?
🔵 RYGB Surgery 65.2%
🟢 Inflammatory Bowel Disease 21.7%
🟡 Celiac Disease 8.7%
🟣 Other 4.4%
The prevalence of those with enteric conditions is estimated at 250,000. The most common causes can be seen here.
TOGETHER, WE CAN END HYPEROXALURIA
Make a Difference, Join the OHF Registry Today
By Joining the OHF Patient Registry:
- You Can Transform the Way New Treatments are Developed and Tested
- Help Accelerate Breakthroughs in Treatment
Living with Primary Hyperoxaluria?
You’re never on this journey alone.
we’re here to stand by you! OHF opens the door to a world of support and resources for your primary hyperoxaluria journey.
Drop us a line at info@ohf.org today! we’d love to hear from you.
Accelerating research, providing hope, empowering patients.
For more information about hyperoxaluria, visit www.ohf.org.
Oxalosis and Hyperoxaluria Foundation
5775 Wayzata Blvd, Suite 700
St. Louis Park, MN 55416
www.ohf.org
Footer
