title: Urinary tract calculi in southern Thailand.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the epidemiology of urolithiasis in Southern Thailand.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive study.
  
  
  METHODS
  An overview of urolithiasis in the South of Thailand was derived from 10,344 urolithiasis patients seeking treatment in 14 hospitals in southern Thailand, from January to December 2000. An epidemiological study focused on 1,452 urolithiasis patients treated at Songklanagarind Hospital during the same period. Composition of calculi was analysed with infrared spectroscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ratio of male to female was 1.6 : 1 and the most common age group was 41 - 50 years. Ureteric calculi were more frequently found than renal calculi. ESWL was the most common treatment for upper urinary tract (UUT) calculi, while surgery was the most common treatment for lower urinary tract (LUT) calculi. The body mass index (BMI) of 48.1% was between 18.5 - 24.9. The study of the calculi composition showed that oxalate was found in most UUT, and uric acid was found in most LUT CONCLUSION: Ureteric calculi were most common in the South of Thailand. The BMI of urolithiasis patients was higher than the population average.
authors.affiliation: Urological Section, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Haad Yai, Songkhla 90110, Thailand.
authors.forename: Monthira
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tanthanuch
authors.forename: Adisorn
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Apiwatgaroon
authors.forename: Choosak
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pripatnanont
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology; D014545:Urinary Calculi / Q000453:epidemiology*