title: [Urinary stones in Tunisian infants, based on a series of 64 cases].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To define the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of urinary stones in infants, to study the role of stone chemical analysis in the aetiological assessment of urinary stones and to define the various treatment modalities adapted to this age-group.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 1984 and 2002, 64 infants (age: 5-24 months) were hospitalised for urinary stones. Urine culture was performed in all patients and metabolic assessment was performed in 24 patients. Physicochemical stone analysis was performed by infrared spectrophotometry in 37 patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Upper tract and lower tract stones were equally prevalent. Urine culture was positive in 48 cases. The micro-organism most frequently isolated was Proteus mirabilis (19 cases). The metabolic assessment was normal in 15 patients and pathological in 9 patients. Infrared spectrophotometry showed that 17 stones were pure. 60 patients were treated surgically, 2 were treated by endoscopy associated with intracorporeal lithotripsy. One patient was treated medically and another patient passed the stone spontaneously while in hospital. No intraoperative or postoperative complication was observed. No recurrence was observed in this series. The mean follow-up is 16 months (range: 6 months to 94 months).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The epidemiological profile of urinary stones in infants in Tunisia is situated between that observed in developed countries and that observed in developing countries. In our study, the incidence of metabolic abnormalities appears to be low despite a high rate of consanguinity in Tunisia. This can be largely explained by the absence of an aetiological survey and/or an inadequate survey when it is performed.
authors.affiliation: Unité de recherche 02/UR/08-26: Ethiopathogénie et thérapeutique de la lithiase urinaire du nourrisson au Centre Tunisien.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jellouli
authors.forename: Riadh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jouini
authors.forename: Mongi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mekki
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Belghith
authors.forename: Mohamed Fadhel
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Najjar
authors.forename: Abdellatif
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nouri
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014416:Tunisia; D014545:Urinary Calculi / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy
vernacular_title: Particularités de la lithiase urinaire du nourrisson en Tunisie. A propos de 64 observations.