New Study on Pediatric Kidney Stones Examines Relationship Between Residing in a Food Desert and Obstructing Stone Disease
December 13, 2024
A new study currently in press in the Journal of Pediatric Urology explored the relationship between food desert residence and obstructing stone disease resulting in surgical intervention in a cohort of pediatric patients.
Rajeev Chaudhry, MD, assistant professor of Urology and clinical director of the Division of Pediatric Urology at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh was the senior author of the study.
Dr. Chaudhry and colleagues found a significant association between food desert residence and obstructing pediatric stone disease resulting in surgical intervention. They also reviewed a potential new association with pediatric stone disease: psychiatric comorbidities.
More Study Details
Dr. Chaudhry’s team reviewed the records of 199 pediatric patients treated for urolithiasis at UPMC Children’s from 2009 to 2023. They found that residence in a food desert was significantly associated with larger stone size and an increased likelihood of the need for surgical intervention. Food deserts are a geographic regions or locales in which access to nutritious and affordable food and/or a lack of accessible grocery stores is limited. [More information available on food access and related information from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.]
They also uncovered that within the cohort, 28.6% of patients also had a psychiatric comorbidity, the most common of which was attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
The study also showed that children who live in food deserts and also who were on stimulant treatment for ADHD experienced delays between initial medical therapy and surgical management for kidney stones.
The findings suggest that food insecurity may contribute to worse clinical outcomes in pediatric stone disease due to the important role that one’s diet plays in preventing the formation of kidney stones. The study also highlights an important intersection between social determinants of health and pediatric kidney stone disease management.
Dr. Chaudhry and his study colleagues note that it is likely advisable for clinicians to gauge food security when managing pediatric kidney stone patients to optimize care.
Reference
Cheng LG, Liu E, Mark E, Hwang K, Chaudhry R. Prone to Stones?: Evaluating the Association Between Food Insecurity, Psychiatric Comorbidity, and Pediatric Stone Management. J Pediatr Urol. 2024. In Press.
