RENAL STONES IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS

Objective. Renal stones are reported to be one of the causes of hematu ria in patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (RA), We performed abdominal ultrasonography on patients with RA to investigate the frequ ency of renal stones and whether renal stones are related to hematuria , Methods, We conducted abdominal ultrasonography in 224 patients with RA (42 men, 182 women). Mean age was 61.4 years, and the mean duratio n of disease was 13.5 years, Results. Renal stones were defined as hyp erechoic spots with acoustic shadows, and they were observed in 37 pat ients. We also noticed hyperechoic spots without acoustic shadows in 5 0 patients. Five of these 50 patients also had renal stones, Twenty-on e patients showing hyperechoic spots without acoustic shadows underwen t computed tomographic scans, and apparent calcifications were observe d in 10 patients, Age and sex matched controls had a significantly low er incidence of renal stones and hyperechoic spots without acoustic sh adows than did patients with RA, Hematuria was more frequently observe d in patients with RA with renal stones than in those without renal st ones or hyperechoic spots without acoustic shadows. Urinary calcium/cr eatinine (Ca/Cr) ratios were elevated in patients compared to controls . Urinary Ca/Cr ratios in patients taking vitamin D-3 were higher than those of patients not receiving the vitamin, Administration of vitami n D-3 also was associated with increased incidence of renal stones, Co nclusion. We observed a high incidence of renal stones in patients wit h RA. Hematuria was more prevalent in patients with RA with renal ston es than in those without, These results suggest the importance of perf orming abdominal ultrasonography on patients with RA.