High incidence of kidney stones in Icelandic children

Abstract

All children less than 18 years of age who were diagnosed with a first episode of kidney stones at pediatric referral centers in Iceland during the years 1995-2000 were studied retrospectively. The diagnosis was based on clinical features and results of imaging studies. Patients were invited for evaluation at the end of the study period. Twenty-six patients (15 females, 11 males), median age 9.4 (range 0.2-14.9) years, experienced 34 episodes of kidney stones. The annual incidence was 5.6 and 6.3 per 100,000 children less than 18 and 16 years of age, respectively. Abdominal pain was the most common symptom (N=17; 69%) and urinalysis revealed hematuria in 21 patients (80.8%), sterile pyuria in 17 (65%), and 2,8-dihydroxyadeninuria in two. Six patients (23%) had positive urine cultures at the time of diagnosis and five (20%) had urinary tract anomalies. Family history of kidney stones was positive in one third of patients. Metabolic risk factors for stone formation were identified in 22 of 23 patients (96%) who underwent evaluation. Hypercalciuria, the most common metabolic risk factor, was identified in 18 patients (78%). Stones passed spontaneously in nine patients (35%) and six patients had recurrent stone episodes. The incidence of kidney stones in Icelandic children is high compared with other Western populations, affecting females more than males. Underlying metabolic risk factors were identified in most patients.

An Update on the Changing Epidemiology and Metabolic Risk Factors in Pediatric Kidney Stone Disease

“…The incidence of nephrolithiasis for children aged Յ18 years was found to be 18.5 per 100,000 children in 2007, an increase from 7.9 per 100,000 in 1996. Data from Iceland revealed an incidence of 5.6 per 100,000 children aged 0 to 18 years on the basis of 26 new diagnoses of nephrolithiasis during a 6-year period among a national population of approximately 78,000 children (9). A study from Japan using a questionnaire sent to 1218 hospitals to determine the number of new diagnoses of nephrolithiasis on the basis of either imaging findings or clinical determination by a urologist estimated the incidence of nephrolithiasis to be 17.7 per 100,000 males and 12.4 per 100,000 females aged 10 to 19 years (10).…”

Pediatric Nephrolithiasis: Trend, Evaluation and Management: A Systematic Review

“…Yasui et al (10) from Japan displayed an incidence of 12.4/100000 to 17.7/100000 in female and male children aged 10 -19 years old, respectively. Additionally, Edvardsson et al (11) in Iceland reported an incidence of 5.6/100000 in patients younger than 18 years old. Furthermore, Routh et al (12) in their study, by using national health information system database, declared an elevated incidence of nephrolithiasis in children.…”

Urolithiasis in Childhood: Review

“…Adolesanlarda erişkin hastalara benzer renal kolik tablosu ile karşılaşılabilmekle birlikte, daha küçük çocuklarda abdomen, böğür veya pelvis bölgesine lokalize nonspesifik bir ağrı şeklinde değişken klinik tablolarla karşılaşılmaktadır. 74,75 Çocukların %30-50'sinde makroskobik, çoğu çocukta da mikroskobik hematüri olmaktadır. 75,76 Üreteral taşlar daha fazla obstrüksiyona, bu da daha fazla ağrıya yol açmaktadır.…”

“…74,75 Çocukların %30-50'sinde makroskobik, çoğu çocukta da mikroskobik hematüri olmaktadır. 75,76 Üreteral taşlar daha fazla obstrüksiyona, bu da daha fazla ağrıya yol açmaktadır. Renal taşlar yıllarca herhangi bir semptom vermeden sessizce durup tesadüfen sap-tanabilmektedir.…”