Aortic Calcification in Patients with Nephrolithiasis: A Cross-Sectional Case-Control Study.

Background: Nephrolithiasis is a common condition that has been linked to various systemic diseases. Recent studies have suggested that young patients with nephrolithiasis are at increased risk of developing premature atherosclerosis. This study aims to investigate the relationship between nephrolithiasis and systemic disease by examining the association between aortic calcification and the severity of kidney stone disease.

Methods: This study employed a matched case-control design involving 144 patients with kidney stones and 144 non-stone formers. All participants underwent non-contrast abdominal and pelvic CT scans. The Agatston score was used to quantify the severity of aortic calcification. The data were analyzed and compared between the two groups. Quantitative data were analyzed using Pearson's chi-square test. Non-parametric data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney test.

Results: The Agatston score was measured in both case and control groups, with mean values of 316±734 and 231±706, respectively. However, the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant (P = 0.122). Notably, a significant correlation was observed between Agatston score and stone size (P = 0.014). The value of the correlation coefficient is 0.23, which shows the increase in severity of aortic calcification with increasing stone size. A comparison of the Agatston score between male kidney stone formers patients aged 45 years or younger and controls revealed a statistically significant difference, with a p-value of 0.049, indicating more pronounced aortic calcification in the patient group.

Conclusion: These results suggest that there may be a shared pathophysiological mechanism underlying both nephrolithiasis and atherosclerosis.