[Risk factors for the occurrence of nephrolithiasis in the Aral Sea region]

The effects of environmental hazards on nephrolithiasis onset were studied for population of the regions exposed to ecological catastrophe sequelae by the sea Aral. Blood and urine levels of organic acids and trace elements were measured using chromato-mass spectrometry, absorption plasma spectrophotometry and ion-exchange chromatography, respectively, as well as urinary peptide hydrolases activity in 178 patients with nephrolithiasis. The levels of lithogenic substances in the blood and urine were distributed differently in patients living in different ecological zones. The above ecologically detrimental zones were denoted as zone 1--most distant from the Aral, zone 2--less distant from it and zone 3--the most ecologically damaged regions of the Aral catastrophe. The multivariate statistical analysis revealed factors of risk to develop nephrolithiasis for these zones: high and moderate risk was stated for 26%, 28.5% and 42.5% of the patients from zones 1, 2 and 3, respectively. The findings confirm the conception on an essential role of environmental factors in initiation of Aral-region nephrolithiasis.