Relationship of low-density lipoprotein and nephrolithiasis in different genders

Objective To investigate the relationship between dyslipidemia and nephrolithiasis in a population-based study. Methods All participants were investigated by questionnaires, physical examinations and laboratory tests including liver and renal function, lipid profile, serum fasting glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin. Nephrolithiasis was diagnosed by kidney B-ultrasonography. Subjects with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)＜60 ml?min-1?(1.73 m2)-1 were excluded. Results 10 316 individuals were enrolled with an average age of (54.88±10.27) years (range 17-88 years) and the ratio of male to female 1∶1.12. The prevalence of nephrolithiasis was 5.6%, 3.7% and 7.8% for whole population, women and men, respectively. In women, only eGFR in stone group was significantly lower than that in non-stone group (P＜0.05). However, participants in stone group were significantly older (P＜0.05), of higher blood pressure (P＜0.01), higher serum uric acid (P＜0.01), worse renal function (serum creatinine, P＜0.05; eGFR, P＜0.01), and higher low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (P＜0.05), compared with those in non-stone group in men. Logistic regression analysis showed that only eGFR (P＜0.05) was the independent influential factor for kidney stones in women; In men, LDL was an independent influential factor for nephrolithiasis with a hazard ratio of 1.149 (95%CI 1.003-1.317, P＜0.05), except for mean blood pressure and eGFR. After being divided into normal group, borderline high group and high LDL group according to the LDL level, with the increase of LDL, the prevalence of nephrolithiasis was significantly increased by 7.3%, 8.3% and 10.6% in men respectively. There was no significant relationship between total cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein and nephrolithiasis. Conclusions Dyslipidemia is associated with nephrolithiasis in men, and high LDL cholesterol is an independent risk factor for nephrolithiasis. Clinical lipid testing not only helps to reduce the risk of atherosclerotic disease, but also reduces the risk of kidney stones.