Several studies have examined the link between temperature or monthly-seasonal variations and urolithiasis. The majority of these studies have demonstrated a link between higher ambient monthly temperatures and the incidence of renal colic and kidney stone disease (KSD). However a worldwide trend on this association has not been explored and we perform a systematic review to examine the effect of seasonal variations on renal colic and KSD.
A systematic review of literature over a 26-year period (1990-2017) was conducted on all studies reporting on the effect of seasonal variations and its link to KSD. Two reviewers independently extracted the data from each study, which was analyzed using SPSS version 24.
A total of 59 studies were identified, and after screening 13 were included in the current review. The studies ranged in duration from 1-9 years (mean: 5.5 years) and included seasonal/monthly variations for proven stones or lithotripsy treatments or emergency department presentations with renal colic. Except for one study, there was a statistically significant association between higher monthly mean temperatures and the incidence of KSD related events reported from UK, South Korea, USA, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Spain, Taiwan, Japan and New Zealand.
Worldwide trends on the incidence of renal colic and KSD seem be affected by seasonal variation favoring warmer months, with data suggesting that higher ambient temperature has an association with KSD.
Journal of endourology. 2017 Mar 24 [Epub ahead of print]
Robert Geraghty, Silvia Proietti, Olivier Traxer, Matthew Archer, Bhaskar K Somani
University Hospitals Southampton NHS Trust, Urology , Tremona Road , Southampton, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland , SO16 6YD ; ., IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Ville Turro Division, Dept of Urology , Viale Stamira d' Ancona , Milano, Italy , 28100 ; ., Tenon Hospital, Assitance Publique-Hopitaux De Paris. Pierre Et Marie Curie University, Paris 6, Urology , 4 rue de la Chine , Paris, France , 75020 ; ., University Hospitals Southampton NHS Trust, Urology, Southampton, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ; ., University Hospitals Southampton NHS Trust, Urology , Southampton , Southampton, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland , SO16 6YD.