Presented by: Scott Quarrier MD
University of Rochester Medical Center

Introduction

Kidney stones are a prevalent condition that affects millions of individuals worldwide, leading to substantial morbidity and impaired quality of life.  This study aims to compare the reported quality of life outcomes between men and women with kidney stones using the Wisconsin Stone Quality of Life Questionnaire (WISQOL), a validated disease-specific questionnaire.

Materials

A retrospective review of medical records was conducted for new urolithiasis patients who completed the WISQOL questionnaire upon their initial visit to a kidney stone clinic between January 16, 2019, and April 13, 2023, with lower scores representing worse quality of life. Patients were categorized based on their reported presence of symptoms or pain related to kidney stones within the last 4 weeks of their visit and their legal sex. Two-sample t-tests were performed to determine statistical significance, with primary outcomes being the WISQOL total score and subscores.

Results

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The study included a total of 1820 patients, with 923 males and 897 females. Females reported significantly lower WISQOL scores (M=71.8) compared to males (M=81.4) for the WISQOL total score and all WISQOL subdomains, including social impact, emotional impact, disease impact, and impact on vitality (p<0.001 for all). Among asymptomatic patients, females (n=418, M=85.3) reported significantly lower WISQOL scores compared to males (n=585, M=89.0) (p<0.001). Similarly, among symptomatic patients, females (n=337, M=56.8) reported significantly lower WISQOL scores compared to males (n=219, M=64.7) (p<0.001).

Conclusion

The findings suggest that women with kidney stones experience lower quality of life compared to men across multiple domains. This discrepancy persists even when patients report being asymptomatic. By recognizing the unique challenges and concerns faced by men and women with kidney stones, healthcare professionals can optimize patient care and improve overall quality of life for men and women with kidney stones.

Funding

None

Lead Authors

David Song,
University of Rochester School of Medicine

Co-Authors

Karen Doersch, MD
University of Rochester Medical Center

Timothy Campbell, MD
University of Rochester Medical Center

Christopher Wanderling, MD
University of Rochester Medical Center

Nathan Schuler,
University of Rochester Medical Center

Rajat Jain, MD
University of Rochester Medical Center

Scott Quarrier, MD
University of Rochester Medical Center