ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Kidney and urinary tract stones are among the most common and important health problems, the prevalence of which is increasing nowadays due to a sedentary lifestyle, improper nutrition, destructive habits in fluid consumption, and improper use of medications. One of the causing factors in the formation of urinary stones is heavy metals. These metals present in tiny amounts in the environment and enter the nature and food cycle due to industrial activities and practices that are not compliant with environmental laws. METHODS: In this context, the present case-control study was conducted to determine the concentrations of heavy metals and other urinary stone-forming elements in both blood and urinary stones and investigate their relationship with environmental factors and dietary patterns in people with urinary stones in Ardabil city in 2022. The sampling of blood and urinary stones was done randomly from patients with urinary stones who were admitted to the Urology Clinic of Imam Reza Hospital, Ardabil. ICP-MS was used to measure the concentrations of heavy metals in the samples. The obtained data were analysed by chi-square test, ANOVA test, t-test, and Tukey test. RESULTS: The body mass index (BMI) was 27.39 ± 3.72 in the case group and 26.37 ± 2.95 in the control group. The copper and selenium concentrations in blood and urinary stones were higher than in other metals. There was a significant relationship between the history of kidney stones and the probability of developing kidney stones. Moreover, a meaningful relationship was found between the concentration of lead element and the formation of kidney stones. The results showed a significant difference in the concentration of nickel and copper in people who consumed vegetables on a daily basis with those with different types of kidney stones. CONCLUSION: The comparison amongst the concentration of heavy metals in various kinds of urinary stones showed that the amount of lead metal was higher in calcium phosphate stones than in calcium oxalate stones.
