Urinary lithiasis as a systemic disease.

Urinary lithiasis is a prevalent disorder of uncertain origin which provokes health problems through potential harm to the urinary system, renal parenchyma or the body as a whole, with a frequent trend to relapse. Historically urinary calculi have been studied and treated as an isolated disease but nowadays we know more about their connection with other pathological entities. In a small percentage of patients, diseases like primary hyperparathyroidism, tubular renal acidosis, inflammatory bowel disease or bariatric surgery have a fairly well studied physiopathological link with kidney stones. However, papers have been published recently describing connections between prevalent diseases such as bone disease or metabolic syndrome and nephrolithiasis. Attempts to prevent or treat these affections can possibly influence the other's prevalence since their trend to increase is clear in western countries.