The Severity of Visceral Obesity Is Associated With an Increased Risk of Urolithiasis



Saadat Mostafavi SR¹ ; Bagheri SM² ; Shekari I^{1, 2} ; Shekari A³ Show Affiliations
Source: Archives of Hellenic Medicine Published:2018

Abstract

OBJECTIVE To assess the relationship between urolithiasis and obesity related parameters measured by computed tomography (CT) abdominal scan. The relationships between visceral obesity and the severity of urinary stone disease, and between the severity of visceral obesity and urolithiasis were evaluated. METHOD A retrospective case-control design was used, with one control subject for each patient, matched for age and sex. The participants were 100 adult patients with urolithiasis diagnosed by CT scan at our hospitals between October 2014 and September 2016. The control group consisted of 100 adults attending the hospital for trauma, with no past medical history of urological disease, who underwent abdominopelvic CT scan. The visceral fat area and other obesity related parameters were measured using the CT scan, on one cross-sectional cut at the level of the umbilicus. RESULTS All the obesity related parameters were significantly higher in the urolithiasis group than in the control group. The largest effect size was in the mean visceral fat area, which was higher in the patient group with visceral obesity than in the control group with visceral obesity (p=0.03). No statistically significant relationship was found between visceral obesity and the severity of urinary stone disease. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that obesity, especially visceral obesity, is related to urinary stone disease. Individuals with severe obesity were at higher risk of urinary stone formation than individuals with mild obesity. © Athens Medical Society.