Prevalence and Trends in Kidney Stone Among Adults in the USA: Analyses of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007-2018 Data

Abstract

Background: The contemporary prevalence and trends of kidney stones are not clear.

Objective: To evaluate the gender-specific prevalence and trends in kidney stones among the US population.

Design, setting, and participants: Data on self-reported history of kidney stones from 34 749 participants aged ≥20 yr from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were analyzed.

Intervention: Six 2-yr study cycles (2007-2008 to 2017-2018) of nationally representative series of surveys evaluated the health status of the US population.

Outcome measurements and statistical analysis: Weighted prevalence estimates of kidney stones and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated in each study cycle. Multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models were used to investigate the temporal trends.

Results and limitations: In the 2017-2018 cycle, the prevalence of kidney stones was 10.9% (CI: 9.3-12.7) in men as compared with 9.5% (CI: 8-11.2) in women. The prevalence of kidney stones increased steadily from 6.5% in the 2007-2008 cycle to 9.4% in the 2017-2018 cycle (p_trend = 0.001) among women but not among men (p_trend = 0.1). These trends remained after adjusting for sociodemographic correlates in both genders. Sensitivity analyses further adjusting for dietary information held the same results in trends (men: p_trend = 0.15; women: p_trend = 0.001). Non-Hispanic white ethnicity, obesity, gout, history of two or more pregnancies, menopause, and using female hormones were associated with a higher prevalence of kidney stones. The main limitation is the cross-sectional design of the study.

Conclusions: Although kidney stones are more common in men than in women in the USA, the gender gap in kidney stone prevalence appears to be closing in the past decade. Kidney stones are consistently higher among non-Hispanic white and obese, and women who have had multiple pregnancies or have used female hormone therapy.

Patient summary: The prevalence of kidney stones remains higher in adult US men than in women, but the trend has been increasing only in women, closing the gender gap in kidney stone prevalence.

Keywords: Gender; Gender gap; Kidney stone; National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey; Prevalence; Trends; Women.