Stone formers at greater risk for chronic kidney disease

Kidney stones may damage the kidneys and lead to chronic kidney disease, according to researchers from the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. In extreme cases, individuals with chronic kidney disease caused by kidney stones may even need dialysis or kidney transplants.

Investigators compared records of all residents of Olmsted County, MN, who were diagnosed with kidney stones to those of residents without stones for the period 1984 to 2003, noting which individuals went on to develop chronic kidney disease as determined by diagnosis codes and laboratory tests. Those with kidney stones were matched 1:3 to controls in the general population so that a total of 4,424 stone formers and 10,995 controls were identified and followed, on average, for more than 8 years.

Individuals diagnosed with kidney stones had a 60% greater risk of developing chronic kidney disease and a 40% increased risk of developing end-stage renal disease than controls, researchers reported at the American Society of Nephrology annual meeting in Philadelphia.

The authors suggested that patients with kidney stones be carefully evaluated for chronic kidney disease and its risk factors, and appropriately treated for any that are identified.