Etiological and clinical patterns of urolithiasis in Turkish children.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the clinical and etiological characteristics of childhood urolithiasis in Turkey.


METHODS
Ninety-two children with urolithiasis were studied retrospectively according to clinical patterns and etiological factors between January 1990 and January 1995.


RESULTS
The age range of the patients was from 2 months to 14 years (mean age 6.9 years), and there was a male/female ratio of 1.6. The onset of the disease was earlier in boys than in girls. The most striking features were the initial admission of 14 (15.2%) children after the development of chronic renal failure and that most of them (64.3%) had infection stones. The stones were localized in the upper urinary system in 68.5% of the patients; bladder stones were rare (10.9%). The recurrence rate at presentation was 15.2% in all patients. As etiological factors, an anatomical defect was found in 30.4% of the patients, infections in 31.5%, and metabolic disorders in 26.1%; 11 (12.0%) of them were classified as idiopathic. The earliest presentation was seen with metabolic and infection stones and the highest recurrence rate (37.5%) in patients with metabolic stones.


CONCLUSIONS
Childhood urolithiasis is a serious problem in Turkey. In order to prevent the development of end-stage renal failure and to improve the patients' quality of life, more efforts should be made with respect to early diagnosis and management of renal stones and urinary tract infections.
Oner
A
A
Department of Nephrology, Dr. Sami Ulus Children's Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Demircin
G
G
Ipekçioğlu
H
H
Bülbül
M
M
Ecin
N
N
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001437:Bacteriuria / Q000382:microbiology; D001581:Benzothiadiazines; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004232:Diuretics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000209:etiology*; D017602:Lithotripsy, Laser; D008297:Male; D011736:Pyridoxine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D049993:Sodium Chloride Symporter Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008625:Tiopronin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014421:Turkey; D014545:Urinary Calculi / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D014551:Urinary Tract / Q000002:abnormalities; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000150:complications; D014567:Urography
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001581:Benzothiadiazines; D004232:Diuretics; D049993:Sodium Chloride Symporter Inhibitors; D008625:Tiopronin; D011736:Pyridoxine