Objective: To evaluate the clinical and etiological characteristics of
childhood urolithiasis in Turkey. Methods: Ninety-two children with u
rolithiasis were studied retrospectively according to clinical pattern
s and etiological factors between January 1990 and January 1995. Resul
ts: The age range of the patients was from 2 months to 14 years (mean
age 6.9 years), and there was a male/female ratio of 1.6. The onset of
the disease was earlier in boys than in girls. The most striking feat
ures were the initial admission of 14 (15.2%) children after the devel
opment of chronic renal failure and that most of them (64.3%) had infe
ction stones. The stones were localized in the upper urinary system in
68.5% of the patients; bladder stones were rare (10.9%). The recurren
ce rate at presentation was 15.2% in all patients. As etiological fact
ors, an anatomical defect was found in 30.4% of the patients, infectio
ns in 31.5%, and metabolic disorders in 26.1%; 11 (12.0%) of them were
classified as idiopathic. The earliest presentation was seen with met
abolic and infection stones and the highest recurrence rate (37.5%) in
patients with metabolic stones. Conclusion: Childhood urolithiasis is
a serious problem in Turkey. In order to prevent the development of e
nd-stage renal failure and to improve the patients' quality of life, m
ore efforts should be made with respect to early diagnosis and managem
ent of renal stones and urinary tract infections.