The epidemiology of nephrolithiasis differs according to geographical area and socio-economic conditions. In Italy the prevalence of the disease in 1993 was 17.2/1,000 inhabitants, most patients are men and elderly. The relative risk increased in subjects with family history for calculosis, with the tendency to eat protein-rich food and with overweight and body mass index (MBI) >32 kg/m2. Calcium oxalate and/or phosphate stones account for almost 70% of all renal stones observed in economically developed countries.
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