Analysis of calculi by infrared spectrometry in children from the Moroccanmid-Atlas region

Calculi from 45 Moroccan children aged between 2 and 15 years underwent mor phological and infrared spectrometric analysis. The stones were three times more frequent in males than females (M/F = 3.09). Whewellite was the main component in 51.1% of cases and in 44.4% of stone nuclei, wheddelite in 8.9 % of stones and nuclei, carbapatite in 6.7% of stones and 8.9% of nuclei, s truvite in 15.6% of stones and 11.1% of nuclei. Ammonium hydrogen urate and uric acid were predominant respectively in 8.9% and 6.7% of stones and in 15.6 % and 11.1% of nuclei. In addition to whewellite, struvite and ammoniu m hydrogen urate were the main components of bladder stones from both sexes . With respect to their calculi, wheweltite was present in 84.4% of cases a nd wheddellite in 26.7%. Purines were present in 46% of calculi, especially as ammonium urate (28.9%) and uric acid (15.6%). Calcium phosphates as the main components were infrequent. In contrast, they 64,4 et 40 % des cas po ur la carbapatite ef le phosphate amorphe de calcium carbonate. (C) 2000 Ed itions scientifiques et medicates Elsevier SAS.