A Perspective on the Metabolic Potential for Microbial Contributions to Urolithiasis

Associations between Net Gastrointestinal Alkali Absorption, 24-Hour Urine Lithogenic Factors, and Kidney Stones

BACKGROUND

It is not clear whether kidney stone formers have an abnormal handling of alkali and acid precursors in the gut, which might affect urine composition and ultimately stone formation. In this study, we aimed to investigate the determinants of net gastrointestinal alkali absorption and its associations with key urinary parameters in a large group of stone formers and non-stone formers.

METHODS

Data were collected from three independent cohorts with at least one 24-hour urine collection. We explored potential determinants of net gastrointestinal alkali absorption and the association between net gastrointestinal alkali absorption, urinary parameters, and stone former status. Finally, we estimated the proportion of the association between urine parameters and stone former status explained by differences in net gastrointestinal alkali absorption.

RESULTS

The analysis included 6067 participants (1102 men and 4965 women; 698 and 1804 of whom were stone formers, respectively). Average net gastrointestinal alkali absorption values were consistently lower in stone formers across the three cohorts (from -15.0 to -4.9 mEq/d). Age was directly associated with net gastrointestinal alkali absorption, whereas body mass index and net endogenous acid production were inversely associated. Net gastrointestinal alkali absorption was inversely associated with supersaturation for calcium oxalate, uric acid, and renal net acid excretion and directly associated with supersaturation for calcium phosphate, urine pH, and citrate. The odds of being a stone former was 15% (13%-17%) lower per 10 mEq/24 hours higher net gastrointestinal alkali absorption. Differences in net gastrointestinal alkali absorption explained a modest amount of the differences between stone formers and non-stone formers for supersaturation for calcium oxalate (6.3%) and a sizable amount for supersaturation for uric acid (15.2%), urine pH (38.3%), citrate (26.2%), and renal net acid excretion (63.4%).

CONCLUSIONS

Kidney stone formers have lower net gastrointestinal alkali absorption, and this explains differences in urine composition and the likelihood of stone formation.

Role of microbiome in kidney stone disease

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The process of renal stone formation is complex, multifactorial, and variable depending on the type of stone. The microbiome, whether by direct or indirect action, is a factor that both promotes the formation and protects from developing of renal stones. It is a highly variable factor due to the great interindividual and intraindividual variability that it presents. In recent years, with the incorporation of nonculture-based techniques such as the high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA bacterian gene, both intestinal and urinary microbiota have been deeply studied in various diseases such as the kidney stone disease.

RECENT FINDINGS

This review has examined the new insights on the influence of the intestinal and urinary microbiome in nephrolithiasis disease and its usefulness as a diagnostic and prognostic tool, highlighting its contribution to the pathogenesis, its ability to modulate it and to influence disease development.

SUMMARY

The incidence of urolithiasis has been increasing considerably. These patients represent a significant expense for national health systems. With the knowledge of the influence of the urobiome and intestinal microbiota on the urolithiasis, it could be possible to modulate it to interrupt its development.