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. 2025 Jul 2;25(1):505.
doi: 10.1186/s12887-025-05773-8.

Metabolic evaluation and disease characteristics of urolithiasis in children from 2020 to 2024: a retrospective single-center study at the national children's medical center

Lizhe Hu #  1   2 , Kangjie He #  1   2 , Lulu Jin  1   2 , Xiang Yan  3   4
Affiliations

Metabolic evaluation and disease characteristics of urolithiasis in children from 2020 to 2024: a retrospective single-center study at the national children's medical center

Lizhe Hu et al. BMC Pediatr. .

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the composition and disease characteristics of pediatric urolithiasis in a single center, providing a scientific basis for clinical diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.

Methods: This study included 266 pediatric patients with urolithiasis admitted from September 2020 to September 2024. Composition analysis was conducted on 174 stone samples using infrared spectroscopy, and 24-h urinary metabolic evaluations were performed on 124 patients. Additionally, genetic testing was conducted on 18 patients using the GenCap panel to explore the role of genetic factors in stone formation.

Results: Calcium oxalate stones were the most common type, accounting for 63.2% of all stones, followed by calcium phosphate and carbonate apatite stones. The high-incidence age range for stones was 6-12 years, with a male-to-female ratio of 1.86:1. The 24-h urinary metabolic analysis revealed that urinary components such as calcium, oxalate, and uric acid were closely related to stone formation. Genetic testing identified multiple different genes associated with stone formation, further confirming the importance of genetic factors.

Conclusion: The formation of pediatric urolithiasis is influenced by various factors, including metabolic abnormalities, urinary components, and genetic factors. Understanding these influencing factors contributes to the development of personalized prevention and treatment plans, reducing the recurrence rate and complications of stones.

Keywords: Disease characteristics; Genetic testing; Pediatric urolithiasis; Stone composition analysis; Urinary metabolic evaluation.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Affiliated Children's Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine (Approval Number: 2024-IRB-0108-P-01). Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Proportion of stone patients across different age groups
Fig.2
Fig.2
Area chart showing the proportion of male and female stone patients across different age groups
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Sankey diagram showing the correlation between urine components and stone formation across different age groups
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Correlation analysis between stone types and urine components
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Forest plot analysis of the correlation between different factors and stone formation
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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