26th June 2023

Risk factors for stone formation

• Age and gender – highest risk is in men aged 40-60 years
• Ethnicity – urinary stones primarily occur in white people, followed by Hispanics, black people, and Asians
• Diet – excessive intake of oxalate, urate, sodium and animal protein
• Chronic dehydration
• Obesity
• Family history

There are also medical conditions which can predispose to stone formation, including:

• Anatomical abnormalities of the urinary tract, e.g. horseshoe kidney, ureteral stricture, vesico-uretero-renal reflux
• Gastrointestinal conditions, e.g. jejunoileal bypass, intestinal resection, Crohn’s disease, malabsorptive conditions
• Genetic conditions, e.g. cystinuria, primary hyperoxaluria, renal tubular acidosis, cystic fibrosis
• Conditions altering urinary volume or pH, e.g. hyperparathyroidism, nephrocalcinosis, diabetes, hypertension, polycystic kidney disease, gout, sarcoidosis, neurogenic bladder, spinal cord injury, increased levels of vitamin D