FRIDAY, Aug. 12, 2022 (HealthDay News) — Lower dietary calcium and potassium intake is a risk factor for symptomatic kidney stone recurrence, according to a study published in the August issue of the Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

Api Chewcharat, MD, of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and colleagues assessed whether dietary factors were predictive of symptomatic kidney stone recurrence. The analysis included 411 local incident symptomatic kidney stone formers (validated medical record) and 384 controls seen at the Mayo Clinic between January 1, 2009 and August 31, 2018, who completed a food frequency questionnaire.

Researchers found that a low intake of calcium, potassium, caffeine, phytate and liquid in the diet was associated with a higher risk of symptomatic kidney stones. During a median follow-up of 4.1 years, 73 incident stone formers experienced symptomatic recurrence. Lower dietary intake of calcium and potassium was predictive of symptomatic kidney stone recurrence when adjusting for body mass index, fluid intake, and energy intake. Lower dietary calcium intake remained a predictor of recurrence with additional adjustment for non-dietary risk factors, but lower potassium intake remained a predictor of recurrence only in those not taking thiazide diuretics or calcium supplements.

“Enriching stone-forming diets with foods high in calcium and potassium may help prevent recurrent symptomatic kidney stones,” the authors write.

Two authors disclosed financial ties to the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries.

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