Summary:Oxalate was measured by ion chromatography in the ultrafiltrate of heparinized plasma from peripheral venous blood, using a membrane with a cut-off molecular weight (M r ). The following criteria were established: sensitivity 0.7 μπιοί -1~J; intra-and inter-assay coefficients of Variation 4% and 12%, respectively; precision of duplicate determinations (expressed s Standard deviation) 0.08 μηιοί Ί" 1 ; overall recovery (oxalate added and diluted, respectively) 100.7%. These qualified the method for assessment of plasma oxalate in healthy human controls (males: n = 12) s well s patients with idiopathic renal calcium urolithiasis (males: n = 22; females: n = 16). Renal calcium urolithiasis patients were subclassified into those with normocalciuria and idiopathic hypercalciuria. In male and female controls the mean values (and r nge) of plasma oxalate were 1.98 (1.4 -2.5) and 1.78 (0.7 -2.9) μπιοί -l" 1 , respectively. In male controls Ultrafiltration (membrane cut off M r 10000) revealed that 11 -16% plasma oxalate was bound to constituents having an apparent A/ r above 10000, and that with use of membranes with smaller pore size, the ultrafilterability of oxalate decreases further. In renal calcium urolithiasis the following values were elicited (μηιοί-l" 1 )' male normocalciuria 1.78 (0.8-4.0), idiopathic hypercalciuria 1.58 (1.2-2.2); female normocalciuria 1.69 (0.8 -3.6), idiopathic hypercalciuria 1.21 (0.8 -2.1). The difference from controls is significant in idiopathic hypercalciuria (males and females). In contrast, in fasting urine of renal calcium urolithiasis the oxalate excretion rate (5-45 μηιοί per 120 min) and oxalate clearance (21-328 ml per min) resemble those in controls, whereas in renal calcium urolithiasis the fractional oxalate clearance (30-357% of creatinine clearance) tended to higher values (p < 0.01, in male idiopathic hypercalciuria versus controls).^It is suggested that 1) ion chromatography allows the reliable assessment of ultrafiltrable plasma oxalate in health and disease states, 2) in renal calcium urolithiasis this technique may help to ehicidate oxalate pathophysiology, especially the mode of renal handling of oxalate.