An analysis of data from the Stanford University in the US is providing insight into the apparent increase in risk of fracture or osteoporosis among older adults with kidney or ureteral stones.

The study found that approximately one-quarter of individuals with kidney stones had a diagnosis of osteoporosis or bone fracture around the time of their kidney stone diagnosis. “We hope this work raises awareness regarding the possibility of reduced bone strength in patients with kidney stones,” said lead author Calyani Ganesan from Stanford University in the US.

The team identified 531,431 patients with kidney stone disease between 2007 and 2015. The team found that 23.6 percent of patients had a diagnosis of osteoporosis or fracture around the time of their kidney stone diagnosis. In patients with no prior history of osteoporosis or bone analyses before their kidney stone diagnosis, 9.1 percent received a bone density scan after a kidney stone diagnosis, of whom 20 percent were subsequently diagnosed with osteoporosis.

The findings provide support for wider use of bone density screening in individuals with kidney stones, including middle-aged and older men who may not be recognised as at-risk for osteoporosis or fracture, the researchers said. “In our future work, we hope to identify which patients with kidney stones are at higher risk for osteoporosis or fracture to help guide bone density screening efforts by clinicians in this population,” Ganesan added.

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