Epidemiology of urinary calculi - abstract

ABSTRACT

Clinicians have frequently note the high incidence of urolithiasis in Trinidad. The purpose of the study was to examine the reasons for this and evaluate the possible roles of various factors (e.g. age, race, sex, water intaked, diet and occupation). Three hundred and three (303) patients, seen at the Port of Spain General Hospital during the period 1974 - 1980 were studied. Patients ranged in age from 9 - 76 with an average of 38 years. There were 153 Negroes, 122 Indians and 28 others. Males accounted for 175 cases and females for 128. Of the calculi 189 were renal, 91 ureteric, 35 bladder and 1 urethral. There were more calculi on the right (146) than the left urolithiasis is rather uncommon in the American Negro and the African Bantu, it is relatively common in the Trinidad Negro. The age distribution in Indian and Negro populations was the same and was similar to that reported from India and Africa. However, the sex ratio in these 2 groups was quite different from that seen in Africa (M F = 4) and India (M F = 2.61). Although there is marked variation in the calcium content of water from various parts of Trinidad (2.8 - 13.1mg percent) there was no clustering of cases in the areas of higher calcium concentration. This is consistent with findings in other places. (Frankd et al, 1959). There was no definite correlation between dietary habits and the incidence of urolithiasis. The role of occupation is more difficult to assess because of the selection of patients coming to hospital (AU)