title: Childhood urolithiasis in north-western Libya.
abstract: The study reviews causes of urolithiasis and its manifestations in North-West (NW) Libya. Libyan childhood urolithiasis accounted for 3.6% of nephrology out-patient work load. There were 59 children with urolithiasis, including 34 boys and 25 girls with a mean age of 2.8 ± 2.42 years. Urolithiasis was more common among younger age groups (P = 0.001) and in boys with primary oxaluria and infective etiology. The causes of urolithiasis included metabolic stones in 64%, infective in 26%, and it was idiopathic in 10%. Overall, family history of renal stone disease was elicited in 59%; it was 92% in patients with primary oxaluria. The main presenting features were abdominal pain (27%), gross hematuria (22%), associated urinary tract infection (UTI; 24%), and stone release in 19%. Stone location was bilateral in 64%, multiple in 68%, and in the upper tract in 93% (P = 0.05). Important complications encountered included chronic renal failure (13%), hydronephrosis (34%), systemic hypertension (8%), and rickets in 17%. Calcium oxalate was the most prominent constituent, seen in 41% of the calculi, followed by struvite (21%), uric acid (10%), carbapatite (7%), and cystine (3.5%). Diagnostically helpful findings were family history, age at presentation, UTI by urease producing organisms, rickets, imaging and chemical analysis of calculi. Early detection and prompt treatment helps in preventing long-term sequelae in patients with urolithiasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Medical School, Tripoli University, Tripoli, Libya. ebachagha@yahoo.com
authors.forename: M Ben
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Halim
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bash-Agha
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Elfituri
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Turki
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hawas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018450:Disease Progression; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008002:Libya / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D052878:Urolithiasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology