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Urinary tract calculi in military aviators
William D Porter1, G Merrill Rice
1Naval Aerospace Medical Institute, Naval Air Station, Pensacola, FL, USA. william.porter2@us.army.mil
Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine
|November 23, 2013
Summary
Urinary tract calculi affect 10-15% of adults. Military aviators have a slightly lower incidence (4.4/1000 PY) of kidney stones compared to non-aviators (4.8/1000 PY).
Area of Science:
- Urology
- Aerospace Medicine
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Urinary tract calculi (kidney stones) affect 10-15% of US adults, causing pain, nausea, hematuria, and dysuria.
- A history of kidney stones can disqualify individuals from military and commercial aviation duties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the descriptive epidemiology of urinary tract calculi among military aviators.
- To compare the incidence of kidney stones in aviators versus non-aviators within the Department of Defense (DoD).
Main Methods:
- Utilized population-based data from the Defense Medical Epidemiology Database (DMED).
- Conducted a descriptive epidemiological analysis of urinary tract calculi incidence.
Main Results:
- The overall annual incidence density of urinary tract calculi for DoD personnel is approximately 4.8 events per 1000 person-years (PY).
- The incidence density in aviators (4.4 events/1000 PY) was slightly lower than in the non-aviator DoD population (4.8 events/1000 PY).
Conclusions:
- While in-flight incapacitation from kidney stones is rare, their incidence and morbidity warrant continued clinical attention.
- Understanding the epidemiology of urinary tract calculi in aviators is crucial for aviation safety and personnel health.
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