What the study found
Residual stones, a positive urine culture during follow-up, and higher CT attenuation values were identified as independent predictors of 6-month recurrence after surgery for infection-related upper urinary tract stones.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors say the study aimed to support individualized follow-up by creating a pragmatic risk-prediction nomogram for early postoperative recurrence.
What the researchers tested
The researchers conducted a retrospective single-center study of 148 patients with infection-related upper urinary tract stones confirmed by infrared spectroscopy. They randomly split the patients into a modeling cohort and a validation cohort, defined recurrence within 6 months using ultrasound or plain CT, and used multivariable logistic regression to build and test a nomogram.
What worked and what didn't
In the modeling group, recurrence occurred in 44.2% of patients, and in the validation group it occurred in 70.5%. Patients with recurrence had higher rates of residual stones, renal atrophy, and positive urine cultures at six months, and higher median CT values; residual stones, positive follow-up urine culture, and CT value remained independent predictors. The nomogram showed an area under the curve of 0.86 in the modeling group and 0.75 in the validation group, with good calibration and favorable decision curve analysis.
What to keep in mind
This was an internal split-sample validation study from one center, so the authors state that external validation is still needed. The abstract does not describe other limitations.
Key points
- The study found three independent predictors of 6-month stone recurrence: residual stones, positive follow-up urine culture, and higher CT values.
- A nomogram based on those three factors showed an AUC of 0.86 in the modeling group and 0.75 in the validation group.
- Recurrence rates were 44.2% in the modeling cohort and 70.5% in the validation cohort.
- Patients with recurrence had higher rates of residual stones, renal atrophy, and positive urine cultures at six months.
- The authors say external validation is still needed.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Three factors predicted early stone recurrence after surgery
- Authors:
- Geng-Geng Wei, Qingshan Yang, Hai-Rui Chen, Yu Yang, Jun-Feng Tang, Kristine J. S. Kwan, Zhen-Quan Lu, Lin Xiong, Xiang Xu
- Institutions:
- University of Hong Kong – Shenzhen Hospital, University of Hong Kong, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Pudong Medical Center
- Publication date:
- 2026-03-10
- OpenAlex record:
- View
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