The relationship of epidemiologic and demographic factors with urinary Stones

The current understanding of the pathogenesis of idiopathic kidney stone disease points out a complex and multifactorial interaction between environmental, metabolic and genetic factors. Different epidemiologic factors have been known to be related to urinary stones. The aim of this study was to assess personal characteristics of kidney stone patients in Iran. This was a case control study In which 161 adult patients with idiopathic kidney stone disease attending Urology Center of Iran University of Medical Sciences constitute the case group. The control group was composed of 254 healthy subjects without personal history of stone disease Were recruited from visitors, other patients and staffs who attended the same center at the same time and matched with case group subjects for age and gender. All of the patients and healthy subjects were individually interviewed by a pre-designed questionnaire. Data were analyzed using the SPSS™, Version 14. Findings showed that 66.5% of patients were male with the male to female ratio of 1.98 to 1. The prevalence of kidney stone was highest for men aged between 30 and 50 years and women aged between 40 and 60 years. There was no statistically significant difference between groups in height and weight, but body mass index was significantly different between two groups (p=0.007). Also, other epidemiologic factors such as educational level, economical status, employment status, type of job, workplace area, the temperature in the workplace and positive family history were found to be related to urinary stone formation and increaseed the risk for the disease. According to results, different epidemiologic factors relate to urolithiasis and increase its risk. Therefore, by defining the high risk individuals and teaching the preventive measures, we can decrease the prevalence and recurrence rate of kidney stones and reduce the health care burden of this disease.