Prevalence and related factors of nephrolithiasis among medical staff in Qingdao, China: a retrospective cross-sectional study

TL;DR

This study finds that medical staff in Qingdao, China have a 4.65% prevalence of kidney stones, with doctors and emergency department workers being at higher risk.

Contribution

The study identifies work seniority and emergency department employment as novel risk factors for nephrolithiasis among medical staff.

Findings

The overall prevalence of nephrolithiasis among medical staff in Qingdao is 4.65%.

Doctors and emergency department workers have a higher prevalence of kidney stones compared to other medical staff.

Work seniority of 10 years or more and being overweight are significant risk factors for kidney stones.

Abstract

Certain occupations may predispose individuals to urolithiasis, a multi-factorial disease. The study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and related factors of nephrolithiasis in medical staff in Qingdao, China.

Physical examination results of 5115 in-service medical staff aged 22–60 years old were retrospectively analyzed. Multivariable logistic regression analysis and stratified analyses by age and gender were applied to explore the related factors of nephrolithiasis in these medical staff.

The overall nephrolithiasis prevalence in medical staff in Qingdao, China was 4.65%. Doctors were more prone to nephrolithiasis than nurses (5.63% vs. 3.96%, P = 0.013) and the peak prevalence (6.69%) was observed in medical staff working in the emergency department (ED). Male gender (OR = 1.615, 95% CI = 1.123–2.323, P = 0.010), overweight or obesity (OR = 1.674, 95% CI = 1.266–2.214, P < 0.001), work seniority ≥ 10 years (OR = 2.489, 95%CI = 1.675–3.699, P < 0.001) and working in the ED (OR = 1.815, 95% CI = 1.202–2.742, P = 0.005) were independent predictors for nephrolithiasis in medical staff based on the results of multivariate logistic regression analysis. The associations between overweight or obesity and nephrolithiasis risk as well as between work seniority ≥ 10 years and nephrolithiasis risk in medical staff were independent of age or gender in stratified analysis.

Nephrolithiasis prevalence in medical staff in Qingdao, China seemed not to be higher than that in the general population. Medical staff with work seniority ≥ 10 years and working in the ED should pay abundant attention to take measures to modify their nephrolithiasis risk.

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