Monthly variations of urinary stone colic in Iran and its relationship to the fasting month of Ramadan.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To compare the prevalence of Renal Colic (RC) in Ramadan (the month of fasting for Moslems) with other months of the lunar year. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Records of 574 subjects, who were admitted in the two medical centers of Varamin (a city in a hot region of Iran), were reviewed in order to estimate the time trend of RC. RESULTS: This study included 398 males (69.3%) and 176 females (30.7%). Twenty-seven males (62.8%) and 16 females (37.2%) were admitted in Ramadan; and 371 males (69.9%) and 160 females (30.1%) in other months (p<0.4) of the year. RCs were more common in June (68 patients, 11.8%), July (65 patients, 11.3%) and November (60 patients, 10.5%). Forty-three subjects (7.5%) admitted in Ramadan; the frequency was not significantly different from mean admission of the year (48.3 +/- 17 patients). There was also no significant difference between frequency of admissions in Ramadan and mean admission during cold half of the year (36.8 +/- 18.34 patients, p = 0.3). Mean admission (64.4 +/- 3.3 patients) in warm seasons were significantly higher than Ramadan (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Lack of difference in the two groups indicates that higher temperature rather than fasting as a cause for RCs.