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Impact of nephrolithiasis on kidney function
Vaka K Sigurjonsdottir1,2, Hrafnhildur L Runolfsdottir3, Olafur S Indridason4
1Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland. vakaks@gmail.com.
Insights
Recurrent kidney stone formers exhibit significantly reduced kidney function and a higher prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD). These findings suggest a direct impact of kidney stones on kidney health, independent of other health conditions.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Urology
- Cardiovascular Medicine
Background:
- Kidney stone disease is linked to diminished kidney function and chronic kidney disease (CKD).
- Recurrent kidney stone formers may have increased risks for cardiovascular issues, hypertension, and diabetes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate kidney function, body mass index (BMI), and the prevalence of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and diabetes in individuals with recurrent kidney stones.
- To compare these health markers between recurrent kidney stone formers and a control group.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional, case-control study involving 195 recurrent kidney stone patients and 390 matched controls.
- Evaluated kidney function using serum creatinine (SCr) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR).
- Compared body mass index (BMI) and prevalence of comorbid conditions (hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease) between groups.
Main Results:
- Recurrent kidney stone formers showed significantly higher SCr and lower eGFR compared to controls (p < 0.001).
- The prevalence of CKD was substantially higher in stone formers (9.3%) versus controls (1.3%) (P < 0.001).
- Hypertension and diabetes were more common in stone formers, who also had higher BMI.
Conclusions:
- Recurrent kidney stone formers demonstrate significantly impaired kidney function and a greater prevalence of CKD.
- The negative impact of kidney stones on kidney function appears to be independent of comorbid conditions like hypertension and diabetes.
Background:
Kidney stone disease has been associated with reduced kidney function and chronic kidney disease (CKD). The objective of the study was to examine kidney function, body mass index (BMI) and the prevalence of cardiovascular disease, hypertension and diabetes in recurrent kidney stone formers.
Methods:
A cross-sectional, case-control study comparing measures of kidney function, BMI and comorbid conditions was conducted in 195 kidney stone patients aged 18 to 70 years with recurrent clinical stone events and 390 age- and gender-matched controls. Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney, chi-square tests and analysis of covariance were used to compare serum creatinine (SCr) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) between the groups.
Results:
The median age of stone formers was 51 (range, 19-70) years and 108 (55 %) were males. Seventy patients (36 %) had experienced 2-4 clinical stone events, 41 (21 %) 5-10 episodes and 84 (43 %) more than 10. The median SCr was 75 (41-140) μmol/L in the stone formers and 64 (34-168) μmol/L in the control group (p < 0.001). The mean eGFR was 87 ± 20 and 104 ± 22 mL/min/1.73 m(2) in the stone formers and controls, respectively (p < 0.001). After adjustment for body size and comorbid conditions, the difference in SCr and eGFR between cases and controls remained highly significant (p < 0.001). The prevalence of CKD was 9.3 % among stone formers compared with 1.3 % in the control group (P < 0.001). Hypertension and diabetes were significantly more prevalent among the cases that also had higher BMI than controls.
Conclusions:
Recurrent kidney stone formers have a significantly lower level of kidney function and a markedly higher prevalence of CKD than age- and gender-matched control subjects. The observed deleterious effect of kidney stones on kidney function appears to be independent of comorbid conditions.
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