Statins Prevent Kidney Stones? Yes, According to a New Study

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It's known that lipid levels, higher lipid levels, are an independent risk factor for kidney stones. A recent study confirmed that these is an association between statin therapy and fewer kidney stones.

• All patients who were newly diagnosed at the University of Chicago with hyperlipidemia between 2009 and 2011, and had never taken a statin drug were identified.
• These patients' clinical outcomes were followed until 2015, to assess whether they had been newly prescribed statins and whether they had developed symptomatic urolithiasis/kidney stones.
• Patient demographics, stone risk factors, prescription data, and serum lipid values were collected.

[h=3]Results[/b]

• 101,259 patients met inclusion criteria, 47.8% of whom received a statin prescription during the study period.
• Patients prescribed statins were significantly older, had a greater likelihood of osteoporosis, hemiplegia, immobility, and more likely to take a thiazide diuretic.
• Patients without a history of urolithiasis/kidney stones who were started on statin therapy were significantly less likely to develop new stones than patients not taking statins. This protective effect was even greater in patients with a history of stone disease. Lipid parameters (LDL, TG, cholesterol) were lower in the statin-treated group, suggesting overall compliance with these medications.

[h=3]Conclusions[/b]Our data confirms previous work that statins protect against urinary stone formation, however the underlying mechanism seems to be distinct from statins' lipid-lowering effect.

"Impact of Statin Intake on Kidney Stone Formation," Urology, 01/29/2018, https://www.goldjournal.net/article/S0090-4295(18)30083-9/fulltext