Higher Life's Essential 8 score is associated with lower risk of kidney stones in Chinese adults: a cross-sectional...

Kidney stones are widely prevalent throughout the world and impose a significant economic and medical burden on individuals and society. The aim of this study was to analyze the association between Life's Essential 8 (LE8) score and kidney stones, to provide more precise interventions for the prevention of kidney stones.

This was a cross-sectional study that used baseline survey data from the Chinese Multi-Ethnic Cohort (CMEC) with 93,297 eligible participants. Participants' LE8 score was measured according to the American Heart Association definition. Abdominal ultrasonography was used for the diagnosis of kidney stones. Logistics regression models and restricted cubic spline regression models were used to explore the association between LE8 and its subscale scores and the risk of kidney stones. Subgroup analyses were used to further explore the specific effects of increasing LE8 score on kidney stones in populations with different characteristics.

In this study, a total of 6,327 subjects (6.78%) had kidney stones. Fully adjusted multifactorial logistic regression showed that CVH levels were significantly and negatively correlated with the risk of kidney stones (moderate CVH: OR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.70-0.82; high CVH: OR = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.56-0.69). Restricted cubic spline regression analysis showed a linear inverse dose-response relationship between both LE8 and its subscale scores and the risk of kidney stones. In addition, subgroup analyses further showed that the negative association between LE8 score and kidney stones risk was more pronounced in males, frequent tea drinkers, and those with higher levels of education.

Higher LE8 and its subscale scores were associated with a lower risk of kidney stones. Adherence to a more optimal CVH will likely be a comprehensive preventive and management measure to reduce the severe disease burden of kidney stones.