Evidence-based guidelines are published by urological organisations for various conditions, including urolithiasis. In this paper, we provide guidance on the management of kidney stone disease (KSD) and compare the American Urological Association (AUA) and European Association of Urologists (EAU) guidelines.
We evaluate and appraise the evidence and grade of recommendation provided by the AUA and EAU guidelines on urolithiasis (both surgical and medical management).
Both the AUA and EAU guidelines provide guidance on the type of imaging, treatment options, and medical therapies and advice on specific patient groups, such as in paediatrics and pregnancy. While the guidelines are generally aligned and based on evidence, some subtle differences exist in the recommendations, but both are generally unanimous for the majority of the principles of management.
We recommend that the guidelines should undergo regular updates based on recently published material, and while these guidelines provide a framework, treatment plans should still be personalised, respecting patient preferences, surgical expertise, and various other individual factors, to offer the best outcome for kidney stone patients.
Journal of clinical medicine. 2024 Feb 16*** epublish ***
Mahir Akram, Victoria Jahrreiss, Andreas Skolarikos, Robert Geraghty, Lazaros Tzelves, Esteban Emilliani, Niall F Davis, Bhaskar K Somani
Core Trainee in Urology, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK., Faculty of urology, University of Athens, 15772 Athens, Greece., University Hospital Newcastle, Newcastle NE4 5NR, UK., Fundacio Puigvert, 08025 Barcelona, Spain., Tallaght Hospital, D24 NR0A Dublin, Ireland.