Association of Kidney Stones and Recurrent UTIs: the Chicken and Egg Situation. A Systematic Review of Literature

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Kidney stone disease (KSD) and recurrent urinary tract infections (rUTI) are frequently concomitant conditions. We conducted a systematic review to determine the association of UTI in patients with KSD and to assess the outcomes of kidney stone treatment in the resolution of rUTI. RECENT FINDINGS: Our systematic review included 17 papers and a strong association between KSD and rUTI was demonstrated by numerous studies. Surgical clearance of kidney stones usually resulted in the resolution of UTI, but discordant data persist regarding recurrence rates after surgery. In vitro studies might unveil the causative role of bacteria in the formation of “metabolic” stones. SUMMARY: Our SR clearly shows that UTI and KSD are mutually coexisting, and reciprocally causal and such patients should be counselled for proactive intervention by stone removal especially when UTIs are recurrent or additional risk factors are present irrespective of stone composition. To prevent further UTI episodes, if possible, a stone culture must be obtained for an effectively targeted antibiotic treatment regime tailored to bacterial prevalence.