Evolving chemical composition of kidney stones in Jamaica: a biochemical analysis from 2019 to 2021 compared with historical data

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate possible shifts in influencing factors causing kidney stones in Jamaica by comparing the chemical composition of kidney stones over different time periods.

Materials and methods: The study had 59 participants. There were no initial exclusion criteria, and all patients scheduled for kidney stone surgery during the study period were considered. Demographic, medical condition, and lifestyle data were collected from participants, along with kidney stone samples. Biochemical testing was done according to Wootton’s method (1974). Seven biochemical compounds were tested: calcium (Ca), phosphate (PO₄), oxalate (Ox), uric acid (UA), bicarbonate (HCO₃), magnesium (Mg), and cystine (Cyst). Results were compared with previous studies from Jamaica.

Results: Calcium and phosphate were the most abundant compounds identified in the stone samples, with cystine identified the least. Oxalate and UA were identified in 66.1% and 52.5% of stone samples, respectively. In this study, mixed CaPO4 was identified in 71.2% of stones, followed by mixed CaOx (66.1%) and mixed CaOxPO₄ (57.6%). The 71.2% of mixed CaPO4 stones identified in this study was significantly higher than those identified by Choo-Kang (36.5%) and Tapper et al. (42.4%), who both examined kidney stone composition in Kingston, Jamaica.

Conclusion: Compared with earlier studies, the increased prevalence of mixed cation-anion stones in Kingston, Jamaica, suggests evolving aetiological factors influencing stone formation, potentially driven by changes in diet, lifestyle, or environmental factors.