OBJECTIVETo study the role of dietary and nutritional factors in the etiology of urolithiasis.

METHODSTwo hundred and fourty-one pairs of urolithiasis patients and controls were selected, and matched on age and sex, and without having urinary, endocrine, metabolic, or other related diseases. Subjects were given with a standardized semi-quantitative questionnaire to inquire their demographic features and diet information. Data were analyzed according to their respective property. Conditional logistic regression were used to compute odds ratio and 95% confidence interval.

RESULTSThe following variables were found to have significant in single factor logistic regression analysis: do not fond of drinking water [OR(no:yes) = 1.914 (95% CI: 1.272 - 2.881)]; drinking less purified water [OR(once:more) = 0.771 (95% CI: 0.614 - 0.967)]; drinking less liquid [OR(one cup more) = 0.273 (95% CI: 0.076 - 0.978)]; eating salted food [OR(highest:common) = 3.382 (95% CI: 2.133 - 5.362), OR(higher:common) = 1.435 (95% CI: 1.252 - 1.645)]; fond of sweet food [OR(most:no) = 4.509 (95% CI: 2.457 - 8.277), OR(more:no) = 1.562 (95% CI: 1.305 - 1.870)]; intake of animal oil [OR(yes:no) = 2.222 (95% CI: 1.012 - 4.880)]; over intake of protein, fat and phosphorus; less intake of carbohydrate, dietary fibre and vitamin C.

CONCLUSIONResults indicated that dietary and nutritional factors were important risk factors to the etiology of urinary calculi.