How Do Urinary Calculi Influence Health-Related Quality of Life and Patient Treatment Preference: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Health Services Research
• Patient-Reported Outcomes

Background:

• Urinary stone disease is a prevalent and recurring condition impacting kidney function.
• Treatments for urinary calculi significantly affect patients' health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and preferences.
• Understanding patient impact is crucial for effective management strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review existing literature on HRQoL and patient preferences in urinary stone disease.
• To synthesize findings regarding the patient experience and treatment choices.
• To identify gaps in current research methodologies.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature search across multiple databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, SCOPUS, etc.) from inception to January 2016.
• Inclusion of all study designs with adult participants.
• Narrative synthesis of data from 35 included studies (5472 patients).

Main Results:

• Stone formers exhibit worse HRQoL, including higher rates of depression, compared to the general population.
• Women report significantly lower HRQoL than men.
• Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy remains a preferred treatment; many patients defer treatment decisions to clinicians.

Conclusions:

• Urinary calculi and its treatments have a considerable negative impact on patient well-being and preferences.
• Generic HRQoL measures indicate poorer physical and mental health in patients with stone disease.
• Future research should employ disease-specific measures and robust methodologies for patient-centered care.