Redefining Kidney Stone Incidence: Emerging Age-Related Patterns

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between age and incident kidney stone disease using contemporary, age- and sex-stratified population-based data from the UK Biobank. METHODS: We undertook a cohort study of 494,745 UK Biobank participants after excluding 7406 individuals with a documented history of kidney stones at baseline. Participants were followed from 2010 to 2022. The primary outcome was first-ever diagnosis of kidney stones during follow-up. Age- and sex-specific incidence rates were calculated per 100,000 person-years. Linear regression analyses were used to evaluate the association between age and kidney stone incidence in the overall cohort and in sex-specific subgroups. RESULTS: During follow-up, 5614 incident kidney stone cases were identified. The absolute number of cases peaked in the 63 to 65-year age group. Incidence rates increased progressively with age, ranging from 39.4 to 150.54 per 100,000 person-years between ages 46 and 80. Linear regression demonstrated a significant positive association between age and kidney stone incidence in men, women, and the overall cohort. These findings contrast with the traditional view that kidney stone incidence peaks between the fourth and sixth decades of life. CONCLUSION: This large, contemporary cohort study demonstrates a positive linear association between age and kidney stone incidence, challenging long-standing assumptions regarding age-related risk and underscoring the growing importance of kidney stone prevention and management in older populations.