Impact of the Gut Microbiota on the Risk of Urolithiasis

The aim was to study the characteristics of the gut microbiota (GM) in urinary stone disease (urolithiasis) in comparison with healthy volunteers (HV), to identify bacteria whose content changes affect the risk of developing urolithiasis, as well as to establish threshold values for these indicators.

Material and methods. The composition of GM in 35 patients with urolithiasis and 31 healthy volunteers was conducted using the method of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS) of fecal samples; subsequent statistical analysis of the obtained results was performed to identify the bacteria whose changes in abundance are associated with the risk of urolithiasis.

Results. In the group of patients with urolithiasis, an increase in the numbers of the following bacteria was noted: Alcaligenes spp. / Klebsiella spp., C. hystolyticum / S. pneumonia, Bacillus cereus, Clostridium perfringens, Clostridium difficile. The GM composition in patients with urolithiasis differed depending on the type of urinary stones: in case of oxalate urolithiasis, there was an increase of opportunistic bacteria Peptostreptococcus anaerobius 18623 and Clostridium perfringens, while in uric acid urolithiasis, a decrease in healthy microbiota representatives Propionibacterium jensenii and Clostridium propionicum was observed. An increase in the number of Peptostreptococcus anaerobius 18623 over 37996×105 cells/g and/or a decrease in the number of Clostridium propionicum to fewer than 2178×105 cells/g were associated with increased risk of urolithiasis. Conclusions. The GM of patients with urolithiasis significantly differs from the GM of healthy volunteers. The composition of GM varies depending on the type of urinary stones. An increase in the amount of Peptostreptococcus anaerobius 18623 and/or a decrease in the amount of Clostridium propionicum in GM can be considered as potential risk factors of urolithiasis.

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