Chemical Composition Urinary Calculi in Nigerians

Abstract

Urinary stone disease is one of the oldest disorders known to man. It is most prevalent in the affluent industrially developed world and least common in the agricultural developed countries. In Nigeria, the disease has been reported to be rare, however recent study found a rising incidence. In this study, urinary calculi extracted from Nigerians were analyzed using chemical methods. 22 .2% of the stones were renal, 35.5% ureteric while 35.5% were vesical calculi. 4.4% were urethral and 2.2% were passed spontaneously. 55% of them were found to contain pure calcium oxalate, 28.9% contain both calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate, 8.4% contain Triple phosphate and 4.4% contain uric acid and calcium urate.

The chemical composition of urinary calculi in present day Nigeria is similar to those of the developed countries. Change in dietary habit and improved socio-economic standard may be responsible for this development.


NQJHM Vol. 14 (2) 2004: pp. 143-146