Urolithiasis in an African population

Abstract

Eighty-one cases of urinary tract calculi in Nigerians seen at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria, over a period of five years are reviewed. A relative incidence of 13 per 100,000 was established. At the time of presentation, 36 stones were found in the bladder, 21 in the kidneys, 20 in the ureters, one in the prostate and 3 in the urethra. Five patients had calculi at multiple sites. There was a male to female ratio of 5 : 1. Forty-one per cent of the calculi occurred in the 31-40 year age group, and 14.8% of cases were found in children. Over 80% of the calculi were secondary to obstruction, infection and immobilization. Only 15% were idiopathic. Urinary tract stone disease is rare in the Negroid race, as confirmed by this study on Nigerians. Avenues for further studies are suggested.

A 5-Year Review of the Presentation and Management of Urolithiasis in a Nigerian Teaching Hospital

“…Globally, upper urinary tract stones are more common in contrast to the picture in developing countries where preponderance of lower tract calculi is documented [5,22]. We found the urinary bladder as the commonest site of urinary calculi in our patients.…”

“…Contrary to earlier studies that depicted urinary stone disease as being rare in Nigeria [4][5][6], a number of recent reports have shown an increasing incidence [7][8][9][10][11][12]. Although the reasons for this change in incidence rates remain speculative, rising socioeconomic development and climatic change in the Sub-Saharan nations have been advanced as possible causes [13].…”

Pediatric Urolithiasis in Sub–Saharan Africa: A Comparative Study in Two Regions of Cameroon

“…Urolithiasis is said to be rare in Africans [14, 15]. This has been challenged by Mkony et al [16]who reported on stones in 44 adults from Dar es Salaam.…”

“…This has been challenged by Mkony et al [16]who reported on stones in 44 adults from Dar es Salaam. In a report from Enugu, Nigeria [14], 14.8% of the urolithiasis patients were children, and the majority of stones were from the bladder. Enugu and Yaoundé are both in the equatorial region; diet, life–styles and socioeconomic development are similar.…”

Sonographic assessment of urolithiasis in University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Nigeria

“…This is observed to be higher than the past findings by other researchers[13] in the Southern parts of the country but lower than core Northern Parts of Nigeria. [1112] This may be due to variation of risk factors responsible for urolithiasis formation, especially changing climatic conditions, diet, and drinking habits.…”