Vesical calculi in children in Kuwait

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Urology
• Environmental Health

Background:

• Bladder stones are rare globally but persist in developing nations.
• Kuwait's rapid economic growth has led to lifestyle changes, including Westernized diets and indoor climate control.
• A significant number of pediatric bladder stone cases in Kuwait originate from nomadic populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the characteristics and etiological factors of bladder stones in Kuwaiti children.
• To identify the primary composition and formation site of bladder stones in the study population.
• To explore the role of lifestyle, environment, diet, and infections in pediatric bladder stone development.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 34 pediatric patients diagnosed with bladder urethral stones over a two-year period.
• Data collection included patient demographics, family background (nomadic vs. urban), and clinical presentation.
• Analysis of stone composition, focusing on predominant crystalline substances and matrix.

Main Results:

• 34 children (8 months to 11 years) presented with bladder stones; 31 were male.
• 26 patients were from nomadic families, despite representing a small fraction of the total population.
• Evidence suggests stones form in the kidneys and enlarge in the bladder, with urate being the predominant component, unlike oxalate in other series.

Conclusions:

• Pediatric bladder stones in Kuwait are associated with nomadic lifestyles, environmental factors, and diet.
• Urate stones, forming in concentrated urine with high ammonia/calcium and low phosphate, are prevalent.
• Malnourished, dehydrated infants with gastroenteritis are particularly susceptible to these stone-forming conditions.