UrolithiasisPub Date : 2025-04-17DOI: 10.1007/s00240-025-01745-w
Ankita Yelne, Vaibhav Shinde
{"title":"In-vitro and in-vivo evaluation for anti-urolithiasis potential of Ficus racemosa L. bark extract in ethylene glycol induced rat model.","authors":"Ankita Yelne, Vaibhav Shinde","doi":"10.1007/s00240-025-01745-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00240-025-01745-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Even after stone removal, urolithiasis might reoccur, affecting patients' quality of life. Our study tested Ficus racemosa L. bark hydroalcoholic extract (FRBHE) for anti-urolithiasis efficacy. First, the extract was tested for dissolution of calcium oxalate as well as calcium phosphate crystal in-vitro. Also in-vivo, 0.75% w/v of Ethylene glycol (EG) for 28 days with drinking water was used to induce urolithiasis. By day 14, EG consumption developed calcium oxalate crystals, altered urine pH, urine volume, levels of minerals, and nephrological indicators in urine and serum that indicates urolithiasis. From day 15 to day 28, while EG consumption continued, FRBHE (200 and 400 mg/kg) and marketed formulation Cystone tablet (150 mg/kg) were given to rats. FRBHE treatment lowered the calcium, uric acid and urea and increase the creatinine, magnesium in urine in contrast to disease control group (P < 0.001). In plasma of EG consuming rats, level of calcium, potassium, magnesium, creatinine, uric acid and urea were elevated compared to normal rats (P < 0.001). FRBHE, similar to Cystone, normalized plasma parameters. On days 14 and 28, glutathione (P < 0.001) and catalase (P < 0.05) decreased and malondialdehyde (P < 0.001) increased in the kidney as compared to normal control group, indicating oxidative stress in urolithiatic rats. Treatment groups showed increased levels of glutathione and decreased malondialdehyde indicating oxidative stress recovery as compared to disease control group ((P < 0.001). Histopathological study of the kidney reveals medication therapy can reduce EG and calcium oxalate stone-mediated cellular damage. Current study proves Ficus racemosa L. bark may inhibit urolithiasis in-vitro and in-vivo warranting further clinical trials to confirm therapeutic efficacy.</p>","PeriodicalId":23411,"journal":{"name":"Urolithiasis","volume":"53 1","pages":"74"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144037892","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
UrolithiasisPub Date : 2025-04-17DOI: 10.1007/s00240-025-01747-8
Xi Meng, Ming Jin, Weizhong Zhang, Daibing Lv, Xiaoxing Liao, Jianghua Yang
{"title":"Letter to the editor: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the efficacy of Oxybutynin Chloride Extended-Release tablets on the double-J stent related symptoms following uncomplicated ureteroscopic lithotripsy.","authors":"Xi Meng, Ming Jin, Weizhong Zhang, Daibing Lv, Xiaoxing Liao, Jianghua Yang","doi":"10.1007/s00240-025-01747-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00240-025-01747-8","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":23411,"journal":{"name":"Urolithiasis","volume":"53 1","pages":"73"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144053332","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
UrolithiasisPub Date : 2025-04-12DOI: 10.1007/s00240-025-01742-z
Federico Dotta, Manfredi Bruno Sequi, Damiano Graziani, Mattia Tosi, Andrea Benelli, Antonio Carbone, Carlo Introini
{"title":"The impact of antegrade guidewire positioning outside the external urethral meatus in supine PCNL: the through and through technique.","authors":"Federico Dotta, Manfredi Bruno Sequi, Damiano Graziani, Mattia Tosi, Andrea Benelli, Antonio Carbone, Carlo Introini","doi":"10.1007/s00240-025-01742-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00240-025-01742-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study aims to evaluate the impact of through-and-through (T-T) guidewire positioning versus conventional guidewire positioning in percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) with endoscopic combined intrarenal surgery (ECIRS) on complication rates (CR), surgical outcomes, and predictors of post-operative complications. We analyzed data from patients who underwent PCNL in our institution. Patients were divided into the T-T group (guidewire positioned through the urethral meatus) and the No-T-T group (guidewire positioned within the renal pelvis or down the ureter). Pre-, peri-, and post-operative data were collected, including demographics, clinical characteristics, stone parameters, and surgical outcomes. Statistical analyses, including t-tests, chi-square tests, and logistic regression, were performed to compare outcomes and identify complication predictors. The T-T group exhibited a lower overall CR (28.57% vs. 53.68%, p < 0.05), a higher stone-free rate (SFR) (78.09% vs. 62.1%, p = 0.02), and resulted in reduced blood loss (∆Hb 1.30 g/dL vs. 1.73 g/dL, p < 0.05), radiation exposure time (RET) (383.1 vs. 469.1 s, p < 0.05), and hospital stay (HS) (3.97 vs. 4.8 days, p < 0.05). The T-T technique was a protective factor against complications (OR = 0.26, p < 0.05). In patients with high stone complexity, the T-T technique was associated with lower CR (34.78% vs. 61.5%, p = 0.03) and higher SFR (71.74% vs. 51.28%, p = 0.04). Higher BMI, positive urine culture, and hydronephrosis were predictors of increased complication risk. The T-T guidewire technique is associated with lower CR, higher SFR, reduced blood loss, and shorter HS. These findings suggest that the T-T technique may enhance surgical outcomes and should be considered a valuable approach in managing large renal calculi. Further studies are recommended to confirm these results.</p>","PeriodicalId":23411,"journal":{"name":"Urolithiasis","volume":"53 1","pages":"72"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144062189","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
UrolithiasisPub Date : 2025-04-11DOI: 10.1007/s00240-025-01708-1
Myeong Seong Yoon, Dong-Hyun Jang, Juncheol Lee, Jaehoon Jeong, Do Gwon Kim, Hyojin Lim, Dong Keon Lee, Jaehoon Oh
{"title":"Comparison of actual and automated CT measurements of urinary stone size: a phantom study.","authors":"Myeong Seong Yoon, Dong-Hyun Jang, Juncheol Lee, Jaehoon Jeong, Do Gwon Kim, Hyojin Lim, Dong Keon Lee, Jaehoon Oh","doi":"10.1007/s00240-025-01708-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00240-025-01708-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Urinary stone size is key in determining treatment. Although computed tomography (CT) scans are widely used for diagnosing urinary stones, measurements of stone size obtained from CT images may be inaccurate compared to actual size. Twenty-four urinary stone phantoms were 3D printed at three densities (100, 1000, and 3000 Hounsfield units [HU]) and eight sizes. CT images of the phantoms were taken. Nineteen radiologists and 33 emergency physicians from two institutions measured stone sizes on CT images using mediastinum and bone settings. An automated algorithm segmented regions of interest and estimated stone size using pixel HUs. Mean absolute error (MAE) was assessed for the accuracy of each measurement method against known phantom sizes. For the mediastinum setting, MAEs for 100, 1000, and 3000 HU stone phantoms were 1.05 mm ± 0.06, 1.01 mm ± 0.06, and 2.38 mm ± 0.17, respectively. For the bone setting, MAEs were 0.98 mm ± 0.07, 0.55 mm ± 0.10, and 1.91 mm ± 0.06, respectively. For automated measurements, MAEs were 1.16 mm, 0.21 mm, and 2.10 mm, respectively. Participant-to-participant variability was observed across all measurement settings, regardless of the stone density or window used. For stone size measurements on CT images, the bone setting provided more accurate results than the mediastinum setting. Automated measurement methods, which estimate stone size by outlining its edges, were more accurate than manual measurements for 1000 HU stones, the most common stone density. However, for stones with densities above or below 1000 HU, the accuracy of the automated method may decrease.</p>","PeriodicalId":23411,"journal":{"name":"Urolithiasis","volume":"53 1","pages":"71"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11991932/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144025356","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
UrolithiasisPub Date : 2025-04-11DOI: 10.1007/s00240-025-01744-x
Shridhar Hiremath, Rajesh N Ganesh, Pragasam Viswanathan
{"title":"Insight into obesity associated hyperoxaluria: identifying the shared biomarkers and pathways in kidney stones and obesity by integrative bioinformatic and in vivo studies.","authors":"Shridhar Hiremath, Rajesh N Ganesh, Pragasam Viswanathan","doi":"10.1007/s00240-025-01744-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00240-025-01744-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Obesity is a primary risk factor associated with kidney stones (KS), with evidence suggesting that increasing BMI, obesity, and metabolic syndrome over the past three decades correlate with an elevated risk of hyperoxaluria. However, the pathogenic mechanisms associated between obesity and kidney stones at the transcriptional level remain poorly understood. Thus, we aim to explore the hub genes related to obesity-associated hyperoxaluria (OAH) to improve the understanding of its underlying pathophysiology. To understand the gap in the underlying mechanism, we performed a comprehensive weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) on two microarray datasets. Further, differently expressed genes (DEGs) of the kidney tissue dataset and significant key modules identified through WGCNA were analyzed to pinpoint shared biomarkers and biological pathways implicated in OAH. Subsequently, hub genes were identified by constructing Protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks. Furthermore, an in vivo animal model mimicking OAH was employed to validate the hub genes through quantitative PCR (qPCR) and histopathological evaluations. Four key modules associated with KS and obesity were identified using WGCNA. The DEGs analysis revealed 346 upregulated and 19 downregulated genes. Functional enrichment via Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses, combined with PPI network insights, highlighted seven potential genes shared between KS and obesity. Further, in vivo studies demonstrated gut inflammation and kidney stone formation, as confirmed by histopathological evidence. The validation through qPCR has identified five hub genes-IL-6, TLR-4, CD44, SPP-1, and CCL-2-as key contributors to OAH pathophysiology. These findings, which provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms driving OAH, underscore the need for further studies with larger sample sizes to corroborate these findings and expand on their implications.</p>","PeriodicalId":23411,"journal":{"name":"Urolithiasis","volume":"53 1","pages":"70"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144062187","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
UrolithiasisPub Date : 2025-04-09DOI: 10.1007/s00240-025-01730-3
Rinat Lasmanovich, Maayan Dagan, Orel Hemo, Shai Tejman-Yarden, Dorit E Zilberman, Oliana Vazhgovsky, Zohar A Dotan, Nir Kleinmann, Asaf Shvero
{"title":"Initial experience with augmented reality in planning renal access for PCNL.","authors":"Rinat Lasmanovich, Maayan Dagan, Orel Hemo, Shai Tejman-Yarden, Dorit E Zilberman, Oliana Vazhgovsky, Zohar A Dotan, Nir Kleinmann, Asaf Shvero","doi":"10.1007/s00240-025-01730-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00240-025-01730-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Achieving renal access during percutaneous nephrolithotomy is challenging, with a complication rate of 10-20%. This study aims to assess a novel technique for planning access to the renal collecting system using augmented reality (AR). Using Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine software (DICOM 2-print), we generated 3-dimensional (3D) models of patients with different types of kidney stones (staghorn, lower pole, and pelvic stones) who underwent PCNL between 2018 and 2022. After viewing the patient's CT scans, surgeons explored the anatomical models using an AR system with a stereoscopic 3D lens array display. Using questionnaires, we quantitatively estimated the model's contribution on a scale of \"1\" (\"poor\") to \"5\" (\"excellent\") to the surgeon's understanding of stone location, patient anatomy, and ease of access compared to 2D CT imaging. A total of 38 questionnaires were completed by 13 urologists. Estimating renal location, renal pelvis, and stone mass were better demonstrated by AR (5 vs. 4, p < 0.001). The orientation of adjacent organs was better understood using AR (5 vs. 4, p = 0.004). In 86.8% of cases, surgeons preferred using AR models both before and during surgery, with 69.2% suggesting that AR could enhance procedural safety. The time frames for testing the models differed between senior and junior practitioners (p = 0.016) and were significantly reduced with model experience (p < 0.001). When comparing CT to 3D imaging, AR models provide a better understating of stone location, patient anatomy, and route of access to the collecting system. Further research is required to implement this innovative technique preoperatively and intra-operatively.</p>","PeriodicalId":23411,"journal":{"name":"Urolithiasis","volume":"53 1","pages":"69"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11982134/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144015232","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
UrolithiasisPub Date : 2025-04-05DOI: 10.1007/s00240-025-01741-0
Man Cao, Yan Chen, Xudong Shen
{"title":"Association between ZJU index and kidney stone prevalence in the Chinese adult population: a retrospective propensity score-matched analysis.","authors":"Man Cao, Yan Chen, Xudong Shen","doi":"10.1007/s00240-025-01741-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00240-025-01741-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The study aimed to explore the association between the ZJU (Zhejiang University) index and the prevalence of kidney stones in Chinese adults. Electronic health records of individuals undergoing routine physical examinations at Wuhu Second People's Hospital between January 2021 and June 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. Participants were divided into kidney stone recurrence and non-recurrence groups. Data on biochemical parameters, hypertension, and diabetes history were collected, and group differences were assessed using the chi-square test or Kruskal-Wallis rank-sum test. Logistic regression, propensity score matching, and dose-response curve modeling were used to evaluate the relationship between the ZJU index and kidney stone prevalence. Among 5,104 participants aged over 18 years, 462 were diagnosed with kidney stones. After adjusting for confounders, a higher ZJU index was identified as an independent risk factor for kidney stone prevalence (odds ratio [OR] = 1.05, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02-1.08). Propensity score-matched analysis further confirmed this association (OR = 1.09, 95% CI: 1.04-1.13). Dose-response analysis revealed a positive linear relationship between the ZJU index and kidney stone recurrence. These findings suggest that elevated ZJU index levels are associated with a higher prevalence and recurrence of kidney stones, highlighting its potential as a clinical tool for identifying and managing at-risk patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":23411,"journal":{"name":"Urolithiasis","volume":"53 1","pages":"67"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143789259","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
UrolithiasisPub Date : 2025-04-05DOI: 10.1007/s00240-025-01736-x
Sabrina T Reis, William M Simões, Poliana Romão, Patrícia Candido, Lucca J Zampolli, Vanessa R Guimarães, Daniel Ayres, Ruan Pimenta, Katia Ramos Moreira Leite, William C Nahas, Eduardo Mazzucchi
{"title":"Analysis of microRNA expression in patients with uric acid calculi.","authors":"Sabrina T Reis, William M Simões, Poliana Romão, Patrícia Candido, Lucca J Zampolli, Vanessa R Guimarães, Daniel Ayres, Ruan Pimenta, Katia Ramos Moreira Leite, William C Nahas, Eduardo Mazzucchi","doi":"10.1007/s00240-025-01736-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00240-025-01736-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Uric acid calculi (UAC) account for about 10% of cases worldwide, although this varies among countries. The etiology of nephrolithiasis is multifactorial, involving both genetic and environmental factors. Kidney stones occur three times more frequently in individuals with a family history of the condition compared to those without such a history. Genetic factors also contribute to cases of UAC. Genes such as ZNF365, SLC2A9 and SLC22A12 may be associated with the development of uric acid stones. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small RNA molecules, that play a significant role in regulating gene expression. The aim of this study was to characterize the expression profile of miRNAs associated with the SLC2A9, SLC22A12 and ZNF365 genes in patients with uric lithiasis. Twenty-two patients with pure uric stones and 8 controls with no history of lithiasis were included, all of whom consented voluntarily. To analyze the gene expression levels of the microRNAs studied, total RNA was obtained using the miRVana<sup>®</sup>miRNA kit, following the manufacturer's guidelines. qPCR analyses were then carried out using specific probes for the selected microRNAs. When comparing clinical characteristics, patients with nephrolithiasis had significant hyperuricemia (p < 0.0001) and more acidic urine (p = 0.0012). Lower urinary citrate excretion was also observed in patients with nephrolithiasis (p = 0.0047). With regard to microRNA expression data, statistically significant under-expression was observed in patients with calculi of microRNAs 143-3p (p = 0.015), 4770 (p = 0.0194), 4750-3p (p = 0.037), 301b-5p (p = < 0.0001) and 9-5p (p = 0.0015). In addition, microRNAs 4770 and 4750-3p were underexpressed in individuals with multiple stones (p = 0.0197, p = 0.0023 respectively). In relation to miR-4750-3p, it was also overexpressed in cases with stones larger than 2 cm (p = 0.0557). With the results of our study, we can conclude that the microRNAs 143-3p, 4770, 4750-3p, 301b-5p and 9-5p may be associated with the development of uric lithiasis. In addition, under-expression of microRNAs 4770 and 4750-3p is associated with the occurrence of multiple stones, while over-expression of miR-4750-3p is related to the formation of stones larger than 2 cm.</p>","PeriodicalId":23411,"journal":{"name":"Urolithiasis","volume":"53 1","pages":"66"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143789255","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
UrolithiasisPub Date : 2025-04-05DOI: 10.1007/s00240-025-01737-w
Aylin Gencler, Hakim Celik, Abit Demir
{"title":"Evaluating serum S-Equol, indoxyl sulfate, and TMAO in predicting urinary stones in children: a prospective study.","authors":"Aylin Gencler, Hakim Celik, Abit Demir","doi":"10.1007/s00240-025-01737-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00240-025-01737-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Gut microbiota is vital in maintaining health and has been implicated in urinary stone disease. Patients with and without stones have different microbial compositions. In this context, we assessed serum levels of S-equol, indoxyl sulfate (IS), and trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), which are metabolites thought to be associated with gut microbiota, and their prognostic values in predicting stone formation in children with urinary stone disease. The study population consisted of children aged between one month and 18 years with urinary stone disease. The patient group consisted of 44 children with urinary stone disease, and the control group consisted of 44 healthy children who were matched with the patient group in terms of age and gender. The study's primary outcomes were the differences between the groups in serum metabolite levels. Serum S-equol and TMAO levels were significantly lower in the patient group than in the control group. There was no significant difference between the groups in serum IS levels. There were also no significant correlations between serum metabolite levels and age in either group. Children with urinary stone disease had significantly lower serum S-equol and TMAO levels than healthy control subjects, suggesting a possible link between these metabolites and stone formation.</p>","PeriodicalId":23411,"journal":{"name":"Urolithiasis","volume":"53 1","pages":"68"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11972205/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143789263","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
UrolithiasisPub Date : 2025-04-01DOI: 10.1007/s00240-025-01738-9
Haotian Huang, Zhi Wen, Hongyuan Li, Chongjian Wang, Caixia Chen, Yang Liu, Jiao Qin, Song Cao, Xuesong Yang
{"title":"Effect of the plasma metabolites, biomarkers, and inflammatory proteins on urolithiasis: insights from Mendelian randomization and mediation analysis.","authors":"Haotian Huang, Zhi Wen, Hongyuan Li, Chongjian Wang, Caixia Chen, Yang Liu, Jiao Qin, Song Cao, Xuesong Yang","doi":"10.1007/s00240-025-01738-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00240-025-01738-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Urolithiasis represents a systemic disorder characterized by metabolic circulation issues and ongoing inflammation. The purpose of this research is to explore the relationships of causation among plasma metabolites, biomarkers, inflammatory proteins, and stones within the urinary system. We initially carried out a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to evaluate possible causal connections between 233 plasma metabolites and 35 biomarkers related to urolithiasis. The genetic association study (GWAS) data concerning plasma metabolites were derived from a 2024 publication in Nature, while data for biomarkers were collected from the UK Biobank. To determine causal relationships, we utilized several analytical techniques, including inverse variance weighting (IVW), MR-Egger, weighted median, and weighted mode. Furthermore, we conducted analyses for pleiotropy and heterogeneity to ensure the findings' robustness. A Steiger analysis was used to explore the presence of any reverse causal relationships. Lastly, we conducted mediation analysis to elucidate how inflammatory proteins mediate the associations between plasma metabolites, biomarkers, and stones in the urinary system. Our research demonstrates causal connections between six plasma metabolites and six biomarkers related to upper urinary tract stones. Furthermore, we identified causal associations between ten plasma metabolites and four biomarkers linked to lower urinary tract stones. Most of these metabolites belong to lipid and lipoprotein classes, indicating that changes in blood lipid levels may influence stone formation. Finally, mediation analysis revealed 13 mediating relationships, including the mediating effects of six inflammatory proteins. Our results provide evidence for the causal links among plasma metabolites, biomarkers, and inflammatory proteins associated with urolithiasis. This provides new insights into the potential mechanisms underlying urinary system stone formation, contributing to their prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":23411,"journal":{"name":"Urolithiasis","volume":"53 1","pages":"65"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143754186","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}