Comprehensive epidemiological analyses of urinary stone diseases in eastern China: a regional population-based study

Urinary stone disease (USD, or urolithiasis) is common and poses a substantial healthcare and economic burden on the working-age population. This study aimed to provide epidemiological insights into the prevalence, incidence, trends, and risk factors of USD among the Chinese population.

We conducted a prospective cohort study involving 966,481 participants from the CHinese Electronic health Records Research during 2009-2022 in Yinzhou, China (CHERRY). Temporal trends were estimated using annual percentage changes (APC) via Joinpoint regression analyses. Stratified Cox proportional hazards regression and propensity score analyses were employed to evaluate potential risk factors, population attribution factor (PAF) and number needed to prevent (NNTP).

From 2014/2015 to 2021, there was an annualized increase in USD incidence by 5.3-6.8% (P < 0.05). Identified risk factors for USD included tobacco smoking, alcohol drinking, high body mass index, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and cardiovasculardisease while regular exercising served as a protective factor of USD. The PAF ranged from 1.3% for non-drinking behavior to 22.5% for regular exercising (weekly). Correspondingly, the NNTP ranged from 182 for non-smoking behavior to 21 for weekly exercising.

USD is a common disease affecting approximately 1 in 10 Chinese, with the incidence rate increasing by 5-6% annually over the past 6-7 years. Lifestyle factors and metabolic syndromes are potential risk factors for the development of USD.