Metabolic Syndrome associated with development of Kidney Stones

As the prevalence of obesity and metabolic syndrome (MetS) continues to rise, so does the incidence of kidney stones. A recent study published in the journal Translational Andrology and Urology by Chen L and colleagues aimed to examine the relationship between MetS components and kidney stones in a health screening population. The findings shed light on the impact of MetS on kidney stone development and highlight the importance of managing MetS to reduce the incidence of this painful condition.

The cross-sectional study conducted at the Health Promotion Centre of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital of Zhejiang University included 74,326 participants aged 18 or older who underwent health checkups between January 2017 and December 2019. MetS diagnostic criteria were based on the joint statement of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and other associations. The association between MetS and its components with kidney stones was analyzed using multivariable logistic regression.

● Of the total participants, 33.4% had MetS and 2.7% had kidney stones.

● The prevalence of kidney stones was significantly higher in subjects with MetS (3.3%) compared to those without MetS (2.4%).

● After adjusting for confounding factors, the odds ratio for kidney stones in MetS patients was 1.157 (95% CI: 1.051-1.273), indicating a higher risk of developing kidney stones in individuals with MetS.

● The prevalence of kidney stones showed a gradual increase as the number of MetS components increased.

● Among the individual components of MetS, elevated waist circumference, reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and elevated fasting blood glucose (FBG) were identified as independent influencing factors for kidney stones.

● Each of these factors showed a significant association with an increased risk of kidney stone development, with odds ratios of 1.205 (95% CI: 1.085-1.337), 1.222 (95% CI: 1.105-1.351), and 1.335 (95% CI: 1.202-1.482), respectively.

This study highlights MetS as an independent risk factor for kidney stones. The findings suggest that controlling and managing MetS may contribute to a reduction in the incidence of kidney stones. Healthcare professionals should emphasize the importance of addressing MetS components, such as waist circumference, HDL-C, and FBG, in order to mitigate the risk of developing kidney stones. Further research and intervention strategies are needed to better understand the underlying mechanisms and develop effective preventive measures against kidney stone formation in individuals with MetS.

Reference:

Chen, L., Zhang, J., Shen, K., Zhu, Y., Zhang, J., Pan, J., & Chen, L. (2023). Kidney stones are associated with metabolic syndrome in a health screening population: a cross-sectional study. Translational Andrology and Urology, 12(6), 967–976. https://doi.org/10.21037/tau-23-51