Re: Prevalence of Kidney Stones in the United States Scales CD Jr, Smith AC, Hanley JM, Saigal CS, Urologic Diseases in America Project

Abstract

Expert’s summary: In this epidemiologic report, the authors have presented results from a survey of self-reported history of kidney stone disease. More than 12 000 persons in United States responded to a questionnaire between 2007 and 2010 regarding their possible history of kidney stones. Based on this information, the prevalence was calculated and compared with data available from a similar analysis presented in 1994. There was ap revalence of 8.8%, with ah igher value for men than for women: 10.6% and 7.1%, respectively. Of these patients, 9.2% of men and 5.9% of women had passed at least one stone. The corresponding prevalence obtained from the 1988–1994 study was 5.2%. For men, prevalence increased 63%! Moreover, the authors showed that a history of stone formation was associated with high body mass index (BMI) values, and the odds ratios (ORs) were 1.29 and 1.55 for overweight and obese persons, respectively. Men and women with normal BMI had stone prevalence of 7.8% and 4.4%, respectively; these values should be compared with 13% and 9.6% in obese subjects. In addition, diabetes and gout were associated with increased risk of stone formation; ORs were 1.59 and 1.92, respectively. This information on the rapid increase in prevalence during a period of only 15 yr is indeed highly interesting and important. Expert’s comment: The relationship between the metabolic syndrome and urolithiasis has been demonstrated by several authors in recent years, and the mechanisms of this association have been thoroughly discussed. It is also recognized that the occurrence of overweight in the population is rapidly increasing. The results from this American study indicate that such