Objective: 

A possible association between urolithiasis and arterial hypertension has been reported by a number of experimental and clinical studies. There is, however, a lack of information regarding the relationship between hypertension and kidney stone composition. The aim of our pilot study was to evaluate the relationship between kidney stone composition and systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Methods: 

The body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure (BP) of twenty patients with urolithiasis was measured. The kidney stones of patients were removed at the Centre of Urology, Vilnius University Hospital, Santariskiu Klinikos. The composition of each kidney stone was analyzed using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy.

Results: 

Three main types of kidney stones were found in the patients: calcium oxalate (47.1%), uric acid (29.4%), and whewellite (23.5%) stones. The mean BMI of patients was 30.88±4.33, systolic BP was 135.0±12.75 mmHg, and diastolic BP was 80.88±5.66 mmHg. Systolic (F(2.14)=4.36, p<0.05) and diastolic (F(2.14)=3.98, p<0.05) BP differed significantly across the three groups. Patients with calcium oxalate stones had the lowest systolic BP (128.88±5.94 mmHg), whereas the systolic BP of patients with whewellite and uric acid stones was significantly higher (142.5±9.57 mmHg and 142.0±16.43 mmHg respectively). The diastolic BP of patients with calcium oxalate stones was similar to the diastolic BP of patients with whewellite stones (78.75±3.54 mmH and 78.75±6.29 mmHg respectively), and the diastolic BP of patients with uric acid stones was 86.0±5.48 mmHg.

Conclusion: 

Increased systolic BP could be associated with the formation of whewellite and uric acid stones, whereas elevated diastolic BP could be linked to the formation of uric acid stones.