Kidney Stones Increases The Risk of Dialysis, Kidney Transplant

People who have had kidney stones are at an increased risk of dialysis or kidney transplant later in life than those who had never suffered from it, finds a study.

University of Alberta faculty of medicine and dentistry researchers Todd Alexander and Marcello Tonelli tracked data of more than three million Albertans over an 11-year period from 1997 to 2009.

Kidney Stones / Renal Stones - Causes - Symptoms - Diagnosis - Treatment - FAQs
A kidney stone is a solid mass made up of tiny crystals and may appear in any area of the urinary system.

They discovered those with a history of kidney stones were twice as likely to have serious kidney problems later in life when compared to people who had never suffered from kidney stones, the British Medical Journal reported.

Women under the age of 50 years who had a history of kidney stones were four times as likely to later develop kidney failure. Although the actual number of those who developed kidney failure was small, the link to having a history of kidney stones was noteworthy, according to a university statement.

"I think what these results tell me, is that we should be screening those with a history of kidney stones for risk factors for the development of kidney disease," said Alexander, study co-author and practising paediatric nephrologist.

Dialysis - Hemodialysis, Peritoneal Dialysis and Role of Diet and Drugs
Dialysis is an artificial process for removing excess water and waste from the blood. Hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis are the types of dialysis.

"I am not surprised by these findings because when you are passing a stone through a kidney, there is definitely the potential for permanent damage," said Alexander.

Alexander says the data is more alarming in the US where 10 to 11 percent of the population develops kidney stones. Half of those who get kidney stones will have a reoccurrence -- anywhere from one to several more episodes.

Kidney Stones in children - Can Children Get Kidney Stones?
Increase in salt concentration in the urine results in precipitation of crystals and these lead to formation of kidney stones. Drinking a lot of water can prevent kidney stones.

"It's important to note that the vast majority of people with kidney stones won't develop permanent kidney damage," said study co-author Tonelli.

"But a few will, and that's why it's important for people with stones to get proper follow-up care -- to reduce their risk of another stone, and to detect kidney damage if it has occurred."

About Transplantation
Since the early times, the novel idea of transplanting tissues and other body parts from one organism to the other has captured the imagination of successive generations.

People could try to decrease the likelihood of the development of kidney stones by decreasing their sodium intake, drinking more water and, if needed, taking certain medication, the researchers suggest.

It has been previously observed that those who develop kidney stones have kidneys that don't function at optimal levels, which is a factor in the whole issue.

Source-IANS