#4072 HEART OF STONE: THE IMPACT OF CARDIOVASCULAR RISK ON NEPHROLITHIASIS: AN OBSERVATIONAL STUDY

Abstract

Abstract Background and Aims The incidence of nephrolithiasis has risen in recent years, largely due to changes in diet and lifestyle. An association between nephrolithiasis and risk of cardiovascular disease has been described, including atherosclerosis. The underlying mechanisms linking the two conditions are not well understood, making it important to study the role of exercise and nutritional habits. This study aims to examine the incidence of cardiovascular comorbidities in patients with nephrolithiasis, considering demographic information and the timeline of disease diagnosis and follow-up. Conditions such as dyslipidemia, myocardial infarction, stroke, and metabolic syndrome are of particular interest in this population. Method We retrospectively analysed consecutive patients that were referred to our tertiary medical center nephrolithiasis clinic between 2021 and 2023. The demographic information collected included gender, age at first nephrolithiasis diagnosis, current age, and family history. The cardiovascular conditions analysed included metabolic syndrome, hypertension, diabetes, gout, smoking, stroke, and dyslipidemia. Additionally, renal function (GFR-EPI) was also taken into account. Appropriate tests for continuous and categorical variables were applied, recurring to SPSS v21.0. Results A total of 84 patients were included in the study. Of these, 51.2% (n=43) were women with a median age of 52 years (IQR: 13-83) and a median age of first nephrolithiasis diagnosis of 34 years (IQR: 9-75). The analysed comorbidities showed a high incidence of hypertension (n=35, 41.7%), obesity (n=33, 40.7%), dyslipidemia (n=50, 61%), and metabolic syndrome (n=20, 23.8%). Family history was identified in 37.3% (n=31) of patients, with a significant difference for men, where 64.5% (n=20) had a positive family history (p-value 0.033). The results showed a relationship between increased body mass index and younger age of first nephrolithiasis diagnosis (p-value 0.012) and lower renal function at diagnosis (p-value 0.005). Conclusion The diagnosis of nephrolithiasis requires a change in the patient's diet and lifestyle, not only because of the risk of recurrence, but also because these patients are at a higher risk of developing serious cardiovascular events. This study highlights the high incidence of these comorbidities and underscores the importance of both the patient and the nephrologist being diligent in addressing these issues to achieve better kidney and overall health outcomes.