Pediatric urolithiasis in Kuwait.

Abstract

In this retrospective study, 31 Kuwaiti children with renal stones were reviewed between January 1996 and September 2000. Male to Female ratio was 2.1:1 with a mean age at presentation of 38 months. Family history of renal stones was reported in 58%. Stones were localized to the kidneys in 74.1%, to ureters in 6% and to the bladder in 9.6%. Bilateral stones were found in 64.5%. Clinical manifestations included: hematuria in 70.9%, passage of stones in 64.5%, abdominal pain in 41.9%, urinary tract infections in 29%, sterile pyuria in 22.9% and urine retention in 16%. Causes of stone formation included hypercalciuria in 38.7%, hyperoxaluria in 19.3%, cystinuria in 12.9%, xanthinuria in 12.9%, urinary tract infection in 3.2%, obstruction in 9.6% and idiopathic in 3.2%. In conclusion, lithogenic metabolic causes were found to be the major predisposing factors to stone formation among Kuwaiti children whereas diet and environmental factors played a trivial role.