Higher visceral fat ratio seen with recurring urolithiasis

(HealthDay)—Recurrent stone-forming patients have high visceral fat ratios compared to first-time stone-forming patients, according to a study published in the June issue of the International Journal of Urology.

Shimpei Yamashita, from the Wakayama Medical University in Japan, and colleagues compared various fat parameters based on computed tomography images between 148 recurrent stone-forming patients and 152 patients forming stones for the first time.

The researchers found that visceral fat area ratio and visceral fat volume ratio in recurrent stone-forming patients were significantly higher than those in first-time stone-forming patients (P = 0.03 and 0.01, respectively). However, there was no significant difference in visceral fat area (P = 0.32), subcutaneous fat area (P = 0.36), visceral fat volume (P = 0.38), or subcutaneous fat volume (P = 0.23). Increasing visceral fat volume ratio was a significant independent predictor of recurrent stones (P = 0.04), in multivariate analysis.

"We think urolithiasis patients with high visceral fat ratio require strict follow-up and preventive treatment," the authors write.