The Relationship Between Nephrolithiasis Risk with Body Fat Measured by Body Composition Analyzer in Obese People

Nephrolithiasis (kidney stones) continues to be a major cause of morbidity and healthcare spending that visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue may associate with kidney stone formation. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between nephrolithiasis with visceral fat scale in obese people in Western Iran for the first time.

In 2017, 103 participants with BMI≥30 kg/m² were selected for the present study. The participants were divided into two groups, 52 as case group (having the kidney stone) and 58 as healthy control group (no kidney stone or history of the kidney stone or any other disease). The levels of body composition were checked by body composition analyzer (BoCA x1) based on Bio Impedance mechanism.

Two groups were matched in terms of sex and BMI. There was a significant difference between two groups for the visceral fat to subcutaneous fat ratio (VSR) that accordingly, the mean VSR in the case group was higher than the control group. The difference for other variables between two groups was not significant.

The results showed that visceral and subcutaneous fat and VSR were important risk factors for kidney stone formation (nephrolithiasis). Evaluating these fats in stone formers may facilitate a tailored metabolic evaluation and treatment plan.