Association of Chronic Hyperglycemia With the Risk of Urolithiasis

Background The incidence of urolithiasis is increasing along with elevated rates of chronic hyperglycemia. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the association between high hemoglobin Alc (HbAlc) levels, in the form of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and the risk of kidney stone formation among those living in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Methodology We conducted a cross-sectional study on a total of 501 patients with known cases of urolithiasis who visited King Fahad University Hospital (Khabar, Saudi Arabia). We calculated odds ratios (ORs) of having stones with respect to three parameters, namely, fasting blood glucose level, random blood glucose level, and glycosylated HbA1c testing. Results Of the 501 cases with urinary stones included in this study, the majority (223, 44.5%) were 41-59 years of age, and 350 (69.9%) were males. Our results showed that T2DM was significantly associated with high stone burden, with increased fasting plasma glucose, increased random blood glucose, and increased HbA1c being strong predictors. The significant associations between glycemic control measures and the risk of urolithiasis remained even after adjusting for factors related to insulin resistance. Conclusions According to our results, glycemic control can be an independent risk factor for urolithiasis. This critical finding demonstrates the need for further studies to investigate this particular group of patients.