Comparison of shockwave frequencies of 30 and 60 shocks per minute for kidney stones: a prospective randomized study.
OBJECTIVE
One of the factors that determines the treatment success of shockwave lithotripsy (SWL) is the frequency of the shockwaves during the procedure. This study compared the efficacy and pain perception of shockwave frequencies at 30 versus 60 shocks/min for kidney stones.


METHODS
From August 2013 to May 2015, 160 patients with solitary, radiopaque kidney stones were randomized to SWL at 30 shocks/min (group 1) or 60 shocks/min (group 2), with 80 patients in each group. The primary outcome measure was success rate at 3 months after the last SWL session. The secondary outcome measure was pain perception during the procedures.


RESULTS
Of the 160 randomized patients, data for a total of 148 patients (74 patients in group 1 and 74 patients in group 2) were analyzed, after the exclusion of the patients lost to follow-up or who required secondary intervention within 3 months. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of the success rate at 3 months (68.9% vs 71.6%, p = .719). However, the mean visual analogue scale scores of all the sessions were significantly higher in group 1 than in group 2 (5.83 vs 4.06, p < .05). Stone location, especially the lower calyceal location, was the only significant negative predictor for success according to multivariate logistic regression analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
The success rate was similar between these two frequencies. However, pain perception was significantly higher at 30 than at 60 shocks/min.
a Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine , Süleyman Demirel University , Isparta , Turkey.
Muammer
M
Altok
a Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine , Süleyman Demirel University , Isparta , Turkey.
Mustafa
M
Güneş
a Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine , Süleyman Demirel University , Isparta , Turkey.
Mehmet
M
Umul
b Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine , Şifa University , Izmir , Turkey.
Ali Feyzullah
AF
Şahin
a Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine , Süleyman Demirel University , Isparta , Turkey.
Ercan
E
Baş
a Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine , Süleyman Demirel University , Isparta , Turkey.
Taylan
T
Oksay
a Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine , Süleyman Demirel University , Isparta , Turkey.
Sedat
S
Soyupek
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007669:Kidney Calculi / Q000628:therapy*; D008096:Lithotripsy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D058748:Pain Perception; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019233:Retreatment; D016896:Treatment Outcome
Frequency; kidney; lithotripsy; pain; stone