[Urolithiasis risk factors in obese and overweight children].
BACKGROUND
Childhood obesity is becoming a worldwide epidemic and its metabolic and cardiovascular complications may already be evident at a young age. Several epidemiologic studies in adults have clearly demonstrated that obesity and overweight increase the risk of kidney disease and urolithiasis.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between overweight and obesity and urolithiasis risk factors in children.


METHODS
The main kidney stones risk factors in urine such as calcium concentration, oxalate concentration, citrate concentration, pH of urine as well as BRI (Bonn Risk Index) were analyzed in 249 overweight and obese children (study group) and in 281 children with normal weight (control) at the age of 3 to 18 years old.


RESULTS
In the study group the mean oxalate concentration was significantly higher than in the control (0.52±0.48 vs. 0.26±0.12; p <0.05). The mean calcium concentration of overweight/obese patients was higher than that of normal body weight and the difference was close to statistically significant (3.23±2.55 vs 2.58±1.59; p=0.0537). The mean urine pH in the study group was 6.28±0.46 and was significantly lower (p <0.05) than the mean urine pH in the control, witch was 6.40±0.47. The mean citrate concentration among overweight/obese patients was significantly lower than in control (431,2±309,5 vs. 637,2±310,7; p <0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that obesity or overweight at a young age are associated with an increased risk of kidney stones. Weight loss might be explored as a potential treatment to prevent kidney stone formation.
Klinika Pediatrii, Endokrynologii, Diabetologii, Uniwersytetu Medycznego w Bialymstoku, Bialystok. hannaborysewicz@poczta.fm
Hanna
H
Borysewicz-Sańczyk
Tadeusz
T
Porowski
Andrzej
A
Hryniewicz
Marcin
M
Baran
Aneta
A
Zasim
Artur
A
Bossowski
D000293:Adolescent; D002118:Calcium / Q000652:urine; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015984:Causality; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002951:Citrates / Q000652:urine; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000652:urine; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000652:urine; D010070:Oxalates / Q000652:urine; D012307:Risk Factors; D014556:Urine / Q000737:chemistry; D052878:Urolithiasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000652:urine*
D002951:Citrates; D010070:Oxalates; D002118:Calcium