Renal stone disease - calcium oxalate stone of the kidney - appears as much a disease of Western civilisation as diabetes, coronary thrombosis, appendicitis and gallstones. The epidemiology shows a significant increase in incidence in the developed world within the past one hundred years but there have been interruptions in the progression of increase in times of war. There is other evidence that it afflicts the affluent society. Any ‘geographical’ pattern tends to reflect sociological circumstances.
The relationship with affluence most likely incriminates dietary habit. The observed effect of certain characteristics of a Westernised diet, i.e the high animal protein, refined carbohydrate and reduced fibre consumption, on the urinary electrolyte pattern are all shown to increase the risk factors for calcium oxalate crystallisation.
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