Correlates of nephrolithiasis in US black women: data from the black women’s health study

Nephrolithiasis is a common urologic condition and a significant source of patient morbidity and healthcare expenditure. There are few epidemiologic studies of kidney stones focusing exclusively on Black women. We retrospectively assessed the prevalence and correlates of self-reported kidney stones within the Black Women’s Health Study (BWHS). Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression models were used to explore factors associated with nephrolithiasis. As of the 2005 follow-up questionnaire, a cumulative total of 1063 women among 43,178 reported ever being diagnosed with kidney stones for a prevalence of 2.64%. Women with a history of nephrolithiasis were older, slightly heavier, and were more likely to have a comorbid condition (e.g., type-2 diabetes, gallstones), drink alcohol, and consume a Western-style diet. A history of gallstone disease was associated with an odds ratio (OR) of 3.59 (95% confidence interval (CI) 3.09–4.17). The OR for consuming ≥ 7 alcoholic beverages/week, compared to none was 0.61 (0.39–0.94), while the OR for high adherence to the Western diet, compared to low adherence was 1.53 (1.23–1.90). Our findings are consistent with previous studies of primarily white populations relating lifestyle-associated risk factors with nephrolithiasis. Despite their lower prevalence of kidney stones, it is important to focus on vulnerable populations such as Black women given their disproportionate burden of metabolic conditions (e.g., obesity, diabetes) related to kidney stone disease.