BMI, Type 2 Diabetes Associated With an Increased Risk of Kidney Stones

A new study presented at the 2017 American Urological Association annual meeting in Boston has found a positive association between both obesity and diabetes and the formation of kidney stones.

“This information ties in with past studies that have looked at the elevated risk of kidney stones among patients with type 2 diabetes and obesity,” stated Dr. David Samadi. “From those studies, we know that patients with hyperglycemia and glycosuria have a higher risk of being stone formers due to the fact of having an increased excretion of urinary oxalate. This condition is known as hyperoxaluria which is excessive urinary excretion of oxalate that can lead to calcium oxalate kidney stones.”

Patients with high body mass index (BMI) and who also have type 2 diabetes are known to have a higher association of kidney stone risk. There is also a known correlation between the higher a person’s BMI is, the higher the amount of the excretion of urinary oxalate. Researchers wanted to find out if there was also an associated link to a person’s hemoglobin A1C, a marker that is used to monitor blood sugar levels in the past few months.

“The researchers began by analyzing 1,428 twenty-four hour urine collections that were collected between 2004 and 2015,” explained Dr. Samadi. “They then analyzed 665 unique non-cystinuric adult stone formers looking to see if there were an association between urinary oxalate excretion and their BMI, age, gender, and A1C levels.”

“Results from the study showed a significant positive correlation among participants with a high A1C and oxalate excretion and a high BMI and oxalate excretion,” said Dr. Samadi. “What was also interesting was that the results were the same regardless of the participant gender and race.”

Dr. Samadi further stated, “Like the researchers have said, to clarify the mechanisms involved of why a high BMI and hemoglobin A1C are related to urinary oxalate synthesis, there will need to be controlled dietary studies validating these findings. In the meantime, it would be pertinent for any urologist working with patients who have a high BMI and type 2 diabetes to help them achieve healthier body weight and better A1C number to help reduce their risk of forming kidney stones.”

Patients newly diagnosed with, kidney stone or prostate cancer can contact world-renowned prostate cancer surgeon and urologic oncologist Dr. David Samadi at 212-365-5000 for a free phone consultation. To learn more visit ProstateCancer911.com