Prevalence and composition of urolithiasis in a paediatric Tunisian population

Objectives. - The epidemiologic characteristics are significant to take into account in order to determine the etiology of the paediatric urinary calculi. In this study we studied the composition of stones according to the sex and the age. Patients and methods. - Our study focuses on 205 tunisian children aged between three months and 16 years, admitted in our service between 1993-2007. A first urinary metabolic balance was conducted among 126 patients. The physical and chemical stones analysis was performed respectively by a stereomicroscope and infrared spectroscopy. Statistical analysis of the results was made using the software SPSS11.0. Results. - Bladder stone was present in 30.7%. It was more frequent in infants than children over 10 years (p<0.02). The Whewellite was present in 72.7% and predominant in older children stones (59.3% vs 42.9% in infants) (p < 0.05). Purines stones were more common among infants. Struvite has been the major compound in only 7.8% of cases where it was more common in infants (p < 0.05) mate (p < 0001). Conclusion. - The higher prevalence of calcium oxalate stones and weaker purin ones in old children suggested the presence of different lithogenous factors of risk according to the age. A modification of the food practices is probably in question. (C) 2009 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.