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Oxalobacter formigenes reduce the risk of kidney stones in patients exposed to oral antibiotics: a case–control study

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Abstract

This is the first prospective study to investigate the association between kidney stones, bone mineral density, serum testosterone, colon cancer and O. formigenes colonization. 40 kidney stone patients and 85 controls were enrolled. O. formigenes colonization was established. BMD was examined from T- and Z-scores using dual energy absorptiometry. O. formigenes was found in 28 of 40 cases and 80 of 85 controls. BMD was significantly reduced in patients (p < 0.05). The evaluation revealed a significant association between lowered O. formigenes colonization and low testosterone. Urinary calcium and oxalates levels were greater in patient. Serum testosterone and urinary citrate concentrations was reduced in patients with a significant difference. Also an association between O. formigenes and colon cancer was noted. Absence of O. formigenes might stand for a pathogenic factor in calcium oxalate stone, low bone mineral density, low testosterone levels and also colon cancer, when antibiotics are prescribed generously.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Vels Institute of Science Technology and Advanced Studies, Chennai, 600 017, India

    Yamuna Ravikumar, Rukaiah Fatma Begum & Ramaiyan Velmurugan

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  1. Yamuna Ravikumar
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  2. Rukaiah Fatma Begum
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Correspondence to Ramaiyan Velmurugan.

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Human participant and animal rights statement

This research involved human participants. This research is based on prospective analysis of investigating the association between kidney stones, bone mineral density, serum testosterone, colon cancer and O. formigenes colonization upon the exposure to oral antibiotics; in accordance with our Institution ethics committee approval. Informed consent from the patients and healthy subjects were sought for this research.

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Ravikumar, Y., Begum, R. & Velmurugan, R. Oxalobacter formigenes reduce the risk of kidney stones in patients exposed to oral antibiotics: a case–control study. Int Urol Nephrol 53, 13–20 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11255-020-02627-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11255-020-02627-3

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