Crystalluria in marathon runners

Summary

Epidemiological evidence suggests that marathon runners have a higher incidence of renal stone formation than occurs in the general population. Since crystalluria and stone disease are thought to be related, we subjected urine samples from a group of marathon runners to particle counting and sizing in a Coulter Counter equipped with a population accessory unit. The volume-size distribution curves so obtained were bimodal with one peak occurring in the 2–5 μm diameter range and a second in the 15–32 μm diameter range—a pattern that is remarkably similar to the distributions reported for recurrent idiopathic stone formers and distinctly different to those recorded for control subjects. Analyses by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray powder diffraction revealed other features which are regarded as typical of stone formers' crystalluria. These physicochemical data indicate that marathon runners may be at increased risk of urinary stone formation.