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Incidence of kidney stones soars over past 3 decades
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The incidence of both symptomatic and asymptomatic kidney stones has dramatically increased from 1984 to 2012, according to findings published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
“Kidney stones are a common, painful condition responsible for substantial health problems and economic costs to society,” Wonngarm Kittanamongkolchai, MD, from the division of nephrology and hypertension at Mayo Clinic, and colleagues wrote. “In addition to painful recurrence, kidney stone disease is a risk factor for bone fracture, cardiovascular disease, and chronic kidney disease. Increasing evidence suggests that the incidence and prevalence of kidney stones are steadily increasing across the world, especially among adolescents and women.”
Kittanamongkolchai and colleagues conducted a population-based study to investigate the trends in the incidence rate of kidney stones over the past 30 years and identify characteristics associated with changes in the rate. The researchers identified validated adult first-time kidney or bladder stone formers who resided in Olmsted County, Minnesota and sought medical care between Jan. 1, 1984, and Dec. 31, 2012. They estimated the incidence of kidney stones per 100,000 person-years.
A total of 3,224 confirmed, 606 suspected symptomatic and 617 incidental asymptomatic kidney stone formers were identified. From 1984 to 2012, there was an increase in the incidence of confirmed symptomatic kidney stones among both men (145 to 299 per 100,000 person-years; incidence rate ratio per 5 years = 1.14; P < .001) and women (51 to 217 per 100,000 person-years; incidence rate ratio per 5 years = 1.29; P < .001).
There was no change in the incidence rate of suspected symptomatic kidney stones, but the rate of asymptomatic kidney stones increased. CT was used for 1.8% of confirmed symptomatic stones in 1984, which increased to 77% by 2012. Symptomatic stones 3 mm or less had a higher increased incidence than stones more than 3 mm during the study duration. There was also an increase in confirmed symptomatic kidney stones with documented spontaneous passage. Additionally, the incidence rate of kidney stones with unknown composition was higher than stones with known composition.
“Symptomatic kidney stones are becoming more common in both men and women,” Andrew Rule, MD, lead investigator of this study from the division of epidemiology at Mayo Clinic, said in a press release. “This is due in part to the increased use of CT scans to diagnose kidney stones.”
“We are now diagnosing symptomatic kidney stones that previously would have gone undiagnosed because they would not have been detected,” he added. – by Alaina Tedesco
Disclosure: Kittanamongkolchai reports no relevant financial disclosures. Please see study for all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.