OBJECTIVE: Urinary stones, affecting 10% of the French population, is a frequent disease. Data of the literature on this disease in subjects over the age of 60 years reveal age-related changes of risk factors, especially affecting urine composition, but very few data have been reported concerning the clinical characteristics of the disease. Due to the absence of recent data on urinary stones in subjects over the age of 60 in France, we decided to study the epidemiology and urological treatment of urinary stones in the elderly in France. MATERIAL AND METHOD: From November 2001 to August 2002, a survey concerning urinary stones in subjects over the age of 60 was performed by the Association Française d'Urologie Stone Committee among urologist members of the AFU. The parameters studied were epidemiological, clinical, metabolic and therapeutic. The results were analysed on the overall patient population and on the subgroup of patients over the age of 70. RESULTS: The study included 176 patients over the age of 60, 110 of whom were over the age of 70. These patients presented their first episode of urinary stones in 41% of cases. Renal colic was the most frequent presenting symptom. Signs of severity were frequently associated, with urinary tract infection in 24% of cases, associated with sepsis in 49% of cases after the age of 70 years. The incidence of uric acid stones was higher than in the general population. CONCLUSION: Urinary stones can often occur for the first time after the age of 60. This disease appears to be more serious than in the general population due to the high incidence of infectious complications. Uric stones also appear to be more frequent. A multidisciplinary study based on a larger population is necessary to confirm these results.
OBJECTIVE: Urinary stones, affecting 10% of the French population, is a frequent disease. Data of the literature on this disease in subjects over the age of 60 years reveal age-related changes of risk factors, especially affecting urine composition, but very few data have been reported concerning the clinical characteristics of the disease. Due to the absence of recent data on urinary stones in subjects over the age of 60 in France, we decided to study the epidemiology and urological treatment of urinary stones in the elderly in France. MATERIAL AND METHOD: From November 2001 to August 2002, a survey concerning urinary stones in subjects over the age of 60 was performed by the Association Française d'Urologie Stone Committee among urologist members of the AFU. The parameters studied were epidemiological, clinical, metabolic and therapeutic. The results were analysed on the overall patient population and on the subgroup of patients over the age of 70. RESULTS: The study included 176 patients over the age of 60, 110 of whom were over the age of 70. These patients presented their first episode of urinary stones in 41% of cases. Renal colic was the most frequent presenting symptom. Signs of severity were frequently associated, with urinary tract infection in 24% of cases, associated with sepsis in 49% of cases after the age of 70 years. The incidence of uric acid stones was higher than in the general population. CONCLUSION: Urinary stones can often occur for the first time after the age of 60. This disease appears to be more serious than in the general population due to the high incidence of infectious complications. Uric stones also appear to be more frequent. A multidisciplinary study based on a larger population is necessary to confirm these results.