New insights on sex differences in kidney stone risk

Highlights

• Certain factors may explain why men are more likely than women to develop kidney stones.
• The gap between men and women in terms of risk of stones is getting smaller.
• Results from the study will be presented online at ASN Kidney Week 2021 November 4-November 7.

Newswise — San Diego (November 4, 2021) — Men face a higher risk of developing kidney stones compared with women, but recent data suggest that an increasing proportion of women are affected. Research that will be presented online at ASN Kidney Week 2021 November 4–November 7 provides new insights. 

In the analysis that included data on 268,553 adults, the incidence rate of kidney stones was 271 and 159 per 100,000 person-years for men and women, respectively. (This means that 271 men would experience their first kidney stone among 100,000 men over one year.)

Several factors, including differences in waist circumference, fluid intake, and especially urine composition, explained a meaningful proportion of the excess risk among men. 

The risk tended to increase over time among women more than men.

“Sex plays a role in the development of kidney stones. Certain factors explain at least part of the higher risk of stones among men,” said lead author Pietro Manuel Ferraro, MD, MSc, PhD. “Our study also confirms that the gap between men and women in terms of risk of stones is getting smaller,” added senior author Gary C. Curhan, MD, ScD.

Study: “Factors associated with sex differences in the risk of kidney stones”                                                                           

ASN Kidney Week 2021, the largest nephrology meeting of its kind, will provide a forum for nephrologists and other kidney health professionals to discuss the latest findings in research and engage in educational sessions related to advances in the care of patients with kidney diseases and related disorders.

Since 1966, ASN has been creating a world without kidney diseases by educating and informing, driving breakthroughs and innovation, and advocating for policies that create transformative changes in kidney medicine throughout the world. ASN has more than 21,000 members representing 131 countries. For more information, visit www.asn-online.org.

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