Cholelithiasis and the Risk of Nephrolithiasis

Abstract

Purpose Existing data on the relation between gallstones (GS) and kidney stones (KS) are provocative but limited. Our goal was to determine whether symptomatic radiographically confirmed GS (and/or cholecystectomy) and symptomatic KS disease are independently associated. Materials and Methods We conducted cross-sectional and prospective analyses in the Nurses’ Health Studies I and II (older and younger women, respectively) and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (men) that included over 240,000 participants followed for 14 to 24 years. Regression models adjusted for age, body size, thiazide use, diet, and other factors. Results At baseline, the multivariate odds ratio of KS history in individuals with GS history compared to individuals without was 1.65 (95 % CI 1.46–1.86) in older women, 1.85 (95% CI 1.65–2.07) in younger women, and 1.61 (95% CI 1.41–1.85) in men. Prospectively, the multivariate relative risk of incident KS in participants with GS history compared to participants without was 1.26 (95 % CI 1.09–1.44) in older women, 1.32 (95% CI 1.14–1.52) in younger women, and 1.28 (95% CI 1.03–1.57) in men. The multivariate relative risk of incident GS in participants with KS history compared to participants without was 1.17 (95 % CI 1.06–1.29) in older women, 1.31 (95% CI 1.19–1.45) in younger women, and 1.51 (95% CI 1.35–1.68) in men. Prospective “lag” analyses instituting a delay of 4 years between the diagnoses of GS and KS yielded similar results. Conclusions GS and KS are independently associated. Additional studies are needed to identify shared mechanisms underlying both diseases.

Body fatness, diabetes, physical activity and risk of kidney stones: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies

“…Several potential mechanisms could explain an association between body fatness and increased risk of kidney stones. Obesity has been associated with high serum uric acid and gout [ 45 , 46 ], gallstones [ 47 ], insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes [ 48 ], which again is associated with increased risk of kidney stones [ 17 , 19 , 49 – 51 ]. In subgroup analyses there was a weaker association among studies that adjusted for diabetes than among studies that did not adjust for diabetes in the analysis of BMI (RR = 1.11 vs. 1.32).…”

Risk factors for gallstones and kidney stones in a cohort of patients with inflammatory bowel diseases

“…This is in line with data from large epidemiological studies. In multivariate analyses accounting for risk factors such as age, diet and BMI an OR for kidney stones of patients with gallstones was 1.61–1.85 and vice versa the risk of gallstones in patients with a history of kidney stones was 1.17–1.51 [41]. …”

Personal history of gallstones and risk of incident psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis in U.S. women

“…In biennial questionnaires, participants were asked if they had ever undergone a cholecystectomy or had received a diagnosis of gallstones from a physician, and also if their gallstones were symptomatic or if the diagnosis had been confirmed radiographically. Self‐reported GSD, including symptomatic unremoved gallstones and cholecystectomy, was previously confirmed in a random sample of 441 participants in a similar prospective study of male health professionals, whose medical records were verified in 99% of cases …”