Evaluation of fasting impact during Ramadan month on patients with a history of kidney stones in a military hospital

Abstract

Introduction: One of the cornerstones and common causes of kidney stone formation is the volume of fluid consumed during a 24- hour that influences on forming that by several mechanisms. Since fluid intake decreases during Ramadan, one of the common questions posed is whether Ramadan fasting is associated with the precipitating of stone formation. The present study was aimed to investigate the effect of Ramadan fasting on precipitating and Inhibitors of stone formation in patients with a history of renal kidney disease. Methods: The study population included all of the patients with kidney stone diseases who were seen at the Clinic of Urology and Nephrology affiliated with Baqiyatallah hospital during the month of Ramadan in 2014 and 2015. The number of 66 patients was chosen and included in the study through randomized simple sampling. All subjects underwent blood tests like serum uric acid, serum phosphate, serum calcium, and serum sodium. Samples were tested in terms of volume, magnesium, uric acid, Calcium, Phosphate, Sodium, citrate, oxalate, Calcium oxalate supersaturation, Calcium Phosphate supersaturation, Uric acid supersaturation. Results: Sixty-six eligible patients were included that the mean age was 48.35±12.10 years. Fourteen men and 52 women were included. There were no significant differences in the mean pH of urine, urinary sodium, urinary oxalate, supersaturated levels of calcium oxalate in the urine, urinary phosphate levels, and super-saturated levels of urinary calcium phosphate between the two groups (P>0.05). The average volume of urine, urinary magnesium, urinary calcium, urinary citrate, the uric acid level in the non-fasting group was higher than the fasting group (P<0.05). There were no differences in the average blood calcium levels, blood sodium, blood phosphate levels, blood acidic levels between the two groups (P>0.05). There was no difference in the mean super-saturated level of uric acid between the two groups (P=0.035). Conclusion: There was controversial evidence on the effect of Ramadan fasting on kidney stone formation and there is not enough evidence in the present study that Ramadan fasting precipitates risk factors associated with calculus formation.