Men face a higher risk of developing kidney stones compared with women, but recent data suggest that an increasing proportion of women are affected. Research that will be presented online at ASN Kidney Week 2021 November 4–November 7 provides new insights.

In the analysis that included data on 268,553 adults, the incidence rate of kidney stones was 271 and 159 per 100,000 person-years for men and women, respectively. (This means that 271 men would experience their first kidney stone among 100,000 men over one year.)

Several factors, including differences in waist circumference, fluid intake, and especially urine composition, explained a meaningful proportion of the excess risk among men.

The risk tended to increase over time among women more than men.

“Sex plays a role in the development of kidney stones. Certain factors explain at least part of the higher risk of stones among men,” said lead author Pietro Manuel Ferraro, MD, MSc, PhD. “Our study also confirms that the gap between men and women in terms of risk of stones is getting smaller,” added senior author Gary C. Curhan, MD, ScD.