Whole body bone mineral content and density associated with kidney stones in US adults: A national cross-sectional...

Whole-body bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) can provide comprehensive information about the health of the whole body. This study aimed to assess whether BMC and BMD are potentially associated with self-reported kidney stones.

Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the potential association between BMC/BMD and kidney stones. Subgroup analysis and interaction tests were used to examine the stability of the relationship. Restricted cubic spline plots were used to examine the dose-response relationship. Saturation effect and threshold effect analyses were used to assess inflection points in the dose-response relationship.

The study population consisted of 8030 adults. Compared with those with low BMD levels, the prevalence of kidney stones was lower in those with high BMD levels (6.55% vs. 10.87%, P = 0.0001). After adjusting for all covariates, there was a negative association between whole-body BMC and kidney stones (OR = 0.06, 95% CI = 0.02-0.25; P < 0.0001), and between whole-body BMD and kidney stones (OR = 0.19, 95% CI = 0.08-0.45; P = 0.0002). Subgroup analyses and interaction tests identified diabetes and smoking as significant influences. In the non-smoking population, a non-linear relationship was shown between BMD and kidney stones (non-linear P value = 0.039).

BMC and BMD were inversely associated with the prevalence of kidney stones in U.S. adults. Although causality cannot be established, these findings suggest that bone health assessment may help identify individuals at higher risk of kidney stones, especially among smokers and patients with diabetes.