12 Jul Kidney Stone Risk Rises With the Temperature
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Gregory Tasian, MD, MSc, MSCE
Attending Urologist
The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Medical Research: What are the main findings of the study?
Dr. Tasian: The risk of developing kidney stones increased during the study period in all the cities except Los Angeles when mean daily temperatures rose above 50°F (10°C). Mean daily temperatures reaching 86°F (30°C) were associated with risk increases of 38% in Atlanta, 37% in Chicago, 36% in Dallas, and 47% in Philadelphia compared with 50°F (10°C). Kidney stone risk peaked within 3-5 days of exposure to high temperatures but then decreased within 7 to 10 days afterward.
Medical Research: Were any of the findings unexpected?
Dr. Tasian: The risk of kidney stone presentation also increased at low temperatures in Atlanta, Chicago, and Philadelphia. One possible explanation is that patients were spending more time inside and thus have a risk of stones associated with warmer indoor temperatures.
Medical Research: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?
Dr. Tasian: For patients who are susceptible to stone formation, the risk of seeking care for kidney stones increases as daily temperatures risk.
Medical Research: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?
Dr. Tasian: These findings need to be validated in other populations, including the un or underinsured. Additionally, further studies to determine whether, race, age, or sex modifies the effect of temperature will help elucidate particular groups of patients particularly vulnerable to heat-mediated nephrolithiasis. Ultimately, it is necessary to develop strategies to increase water intake, which mitigates the effect of dehydration on heat-mediated stone risk, among patients who have a history of kidney stones.
Citation:
Daily Mean Temperature and Clinical Kidney Stone Presentation in Five U.S. Metropolitan Areas: A Time-Series Analysis
Gregory E. Tasian,1,2,3 Jose E. Pulido,2 Antonio Gasparrini,4 Christopher S. Saigal,5,6 Benjamin P. Horton,7,8 J. Richard Landis,9 Rodger Madison,6 and Ron Keren3,9,10 for the Urologic Diseases in America Project
Environ Health Perspect; DOI:10.1289/ehp.1307703
Last Updated on July 12, 2014 by Marie Benz MD FAAD