Rising occurrence of hypocitraturia and hyperoxaluria associated with increasing prevalence of stone disease in calcium kidney stone formers

Objective: To evaluate metabolic risk factors in calcium kidney stone formers from two different decades, comparing changes in metabolic profiles over time. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed of calcium kidney stone formers who underwent metabolic evaluation of urolithiasis with 24-hour urine collections at a single institution. There were 309 patients evaluated from 1988 to 1994 (Group A), and 229 patients from 2007 to 2010 (Group B). A comparison between both groups was performed to assess changes in demographics and in metabolic stone profiles. Results: Comparing Group A to Group B, the percentage of females increased from 43 to 56%, obese patients (BMI ≥ 30) increased from 22 to 35%, and patients ≥ 50 years increased from 29 to 47% (all p < 0.005). A greater percentage of patients had hypocitraturia in the recent cohort (46–60%, p = 0.001), with hypocitraturia significantly more frequent in obese patients (p = 0.005). Hyperoxaluria was also increased in Group B compared to Group A (23–30% p = 0.07), a finding that was significant in males (32–53%, p = 0.001). Conclusions: Urolithiasis has increased in females, obese, and older patients, consistent with population-based studies. We report a rising incidence of hypocitraturia and hyperoxaluria in the contemporary cohort, particularly in obese patients and in males, respectively. Further studies are needed to better characterize the metabolic changes corresponding to the increase in stone disease.