Kidney stones may increase risk for chronic kidney disease

According to a paper being presented at the American Society of Nephrology’s 41st Annual Meeting and Scientific Exposition in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, kidney stones may damage the kidneys and lead to chronic kidney disease (CKD).

In extreme cases, individuals with CKD caused by kidney stones may even need dialysis or kidney transplants.

Kidney stones lead to CKD in patients with rare genetic diseases, but it is unclear if they also are an important risk factor for CKD in the general population. In general, researchers have thought that complications of kidney stones can only rarely cause CKD, but studies that have looked at this potential link have been small or have had limited follow-up