Although stone disease is an important health problem with high incidence and recurrence rates, it is a preventable disease. Attitudes and practices of urologists regarding the prevention of recurrence continue to be a subject of debate. In this context, an online survey study was conducted involving 305 urologists from 57 different countries. The first 7 questions collected demographic data about the urologists and the remaining 23 questions were about the recurrence and metabolic evaluation, medical treatment, and follow-up of urinary stone disease. Most urologists (85.2%) thought that metabolic examination was important. Approximately one-third of the participants (34.1%) performed 24-hour urine analysis and stone analysis was ordered by 87.5% of the urologists. Metabolic analysis was performed for all patients by 14.7% of the participants. For pediatric patients this rate was 68.5%, and for adults with recurrence the rate was 81.6%. Reasons cited by the urologists for not performing metabolic analysis included not feeling confident doing so (18.3%), having limited facilities in their hospital (26.5%), having an excessive daily workload (31.8%), patient-related factors (27.5%), and referring patients to other departments for metabolic evaluation (20.9%). Although majority of the responding urologists do consider the metabolic analysis as vital important, they seemed not to be willing to perform these tests with the same degree of enthusiasm in their daily practice. Our results show that urologists need support in performing and interpreting 24-hour urine analysis, improving their knowledge levels, and communicating with patients. Urology residency training should focus more on the prevention of urinary stone recurrence in addition to the surgical training.
Urolithiasis. 2022 Sep 28 [Epub ahead of print]
Mehmet Ali Karagöz, Selçuk Güven, Tzevat Tefik, Mehmet İlker Gökçe, Murat Can Kiremit, Feyzi Arda Atar, Muhammed Arif İbiş, Yasin Yitgin, Abubekir Böyük, Samed Verep, Kemal Sarıca
Department of Urology, Health Sciences University, Prof. Dr. Cemil Taşcıoğlu City Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. ., Department of Urology, Meram Medical Faculty, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey., Department of Urology, İstanbul University İstanbul School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey., Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey., Department of Urology, Koc University Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey., Department of Urology, Başakşehir Çam Ve Sakura City Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey., Department of Urology, Keçiören Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey., Depatment of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Istinye University, Istanbul, Turkey., Department of Urology, Medivita İncirli Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey., Department of Urology, Van Training and Research Hospital, Van, Turkey., Department of Urology, Biruni University Medical School, Medicana Bahçelievler Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.