What Causes Calcium Oxalate Kidney Stones to Form? An Update on Recent Advances

Kidney stone disease affects 12% of the global population with a prevalence that continues to increase. It is recurrent in up to 50% of patients within 5 years and is associated with major health concerns including coronary artery disease and chronic kidney disease. Thus, kidney stones pose a substa...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Reyhaneh Nazarian, Neil Lin, Sapna Thaker, Rena Yang, Gerard C. L. Wong, Kymora B. Scotland
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Uro
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4397/5/1/6
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Summary:Kidney stone disease affects 12% of the global population with a prevalence that continues to increase. It is recurrent in up to 50% of patients within 5 years and is associated with major health concerns including coronary artery disease and chronic kidney disease. Thus, kidney stones pose a substantial health and economic burden. However, despite kidney stone disease being one of the oldest known and most common diseases worldwide, our understanding of the mechanisms underlying stone formation is lacking. Moreover, recent data have raised questions about the efficacy of currently used therapeutic options for calcium oxalate stones, which account for 75% of all kidney stones. Development of new therapeutics for the successful prevention and management of this disease will require improved understanding of the causes of kidney stones. Recent advancements have shed light on the nuanced contribution of diet, environment and genetics as well as the more fundamental roles of calcium oxalate crystallization, Randall’s plaque formation, inflammation and even a possible contribution of the recently discovered urinary microbiome. This review provides a comprehensive overview of our current understanding of kidney stone pathogenesis and identifies new frontiers and remaining gaps in our knowledge of this disease.
ISSN:2673-4397