Karger Publishers, Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, 2(70), p. 132-139, 2017
DOI: 10.1159/000468156
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<b><i>Background/Aims:</i></b> Dietary factors can modify calciuria. We aim to investigate urinary calcium excretion in healthy infants according to their protein. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Secondary data analysis from a randomized clinical trial where healthy term infants were randomized after birth to a higher (HP) or lower (LP) protein content formula that was consumed until age 1 year. A non-randomized group of breastfed (BF) infants was used for reference. Anthropometry, dietary intakes and calciuria (calcium/creatinine ratios) from spot urine samples were assessed at ages 3 and 6 months. At 6 months, the kidney volumes were assessed using ultrasonography, and the serum urea and creatinine levels were determined. <b><i>Results:</i></b> BF infants showed the highest calciuria levels, followed by the HP and the LP groups (<i>p</i> < 0.001 for all comparisons). Either protein intakes or formula types modulated the calciuria in linear regression models adjusted for other influencing dietary factors. The usual cut-off values classified 37.8% (BF), 16.8% (HP) and 4.9% (LP) of the infants as hypercalciuric. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> Feeding types during the first months of life affect calciuria, with BF infants presenting the highest levels. We propose new cut-off values, based on feeding types, to prevent the overestimation in hypercalciuria diagnoses among BF infants.