📃 Paper Title: The Natural History of Asymptomatic Urolithiasis
🧍 Author: LS Glowacki
🕒 Year: 1992
📚 Journal: The Journal of Urology
🌎 Country: Canada
ㅤContext to the study:
Can you tell me about a study that examines the natural history of asymptomatic urolithiasis?
ㅤ✅ Take-home message of study:
Approximately half (49%) of patients with asymptomatic renal stones will develop symptoms by 5 years
At approximately 3 years (32 months): approximately 1/3rd (32%) will have symptoms; 17% will need surgical intervention (SWL or URS or PCNL)
ㅤ Observational study
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Study participants:
Total participants: 107
Inclusion criteria:
Asymptomatic renal calculi
Absence of stone related symptoms for at least 6 months
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Key study outcomes:
At mean follow-up of 32 months:
Development of symptoms: 32% (68% remained asymptomatic)
Spontaneous passage: 15%
Need for SWL or URS or PCNL: 17%
The cumulative 5-year probability of development of symptoms:
49%
A significant association between these factors and the development of symptoms was identified:
Larger number of previous stones
Larger number of stones present at identification
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Study Limitations:
Significant loss to follow-up; only nine patients included at 5-year follow-up
Larger studies since published which address a similar research questions
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