title: The growing prevalence of kidney stones and opportunities for prevention.
abstract: The prevalence of kidney stones is climbing in the United States. Several investigators have demonstrated an association between metabolic syndrome and kidney stones and some have proposed a causal link. Risk factors for nephrolithiasis can be identified with a 24-hour urine collection and preventive measures can be customized to meet the needs of individual patients. Dietary and pharmacologic interventions are available to address urinary risk factors such as inadequate urine volume, hypercalcuria, hyperoxaluria, hyperuricosuria and hypocitraturia. Given that morbidity and healthcare costs associated with nephrolithiasis are on the rise, deterring stone formation is increasingly important. Multidisciplinary clinics that foster collaboration between urologists, nephrologists and dieticians offer patients effective prevention and treatment strategies.
authors.affiliation: Physician in University Medicine's Division of Hypertension and Kidney Diseases and Assistant Professor of Medicine, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Richman
authors.affiliation: Assistant Director of the Kidney Stone Center at The Miriam Hospital and an Assistant Professor of Medicine at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, where he also serves as Program Director for the Renal Fellowship Program.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: O'Bell
authors.affiliation: Director of the Kidney Stone Center at The Miriam Hospital and Director of minimally invasive urologic surgery at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, where he also is an Associate Professor of Surgery (urology).
authors.forename: Gyan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pareek
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D053565:Hypercalciuria / Q000150:complications; D006959:Hyperoxaluria / Q000150:complications; D033461:Hyperuricemia / Q000150:complications; D007669:Kidney Calculi / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000652:urine; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000150:complications; D009398:Nephrology; D064686:Nutritionists; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States; D014572:Urology
keywords: kidney stones; metabolic syndrome; nephrolithiasis; risk factors