Work

Ambient Temperature and Risk of Renal Colic: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Year: 2025

Type: review

Study designs: Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis

Abstract: Rationale & Objectives: Extreme ambient temperatures have been associated with a higher risk of acute and chronic health outcomes, including cardiovascular, respiratory, infectious, and renal diseases.However, there is a lack of synthesized comprehensive evidence regarding the association of ambient temperature and renal colic in existing literature. Study Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiological studies.Setting & Population: Population of any geographic areas regardless of their age, sex, ethnicity, or any other population characteristics.Selection Criteria for Studies: We conducted literature searches in PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL complete, Web of Sciences, and additional sources until June 4, 2024, following PECO (Population-Exposure-Comparator-Outcome) framework.Exposure: Daily ambient temperature.Outcomes: Confirmed cases of renal colic, including its underlying causes, such as kidney stone/nephrolithiasis or urolithiasis, urinary tract infection, pyelonephritis, etc. Data Extraction:Two investigators performed data extraction to ensure data consistency and quality.Analytical Approach: Random-effects meta-analyses using the DerSimonian and Laird method.Results: Out of 982 initially retrieved articles, we included 26 articles in the systematic review, of which 23 were eligible for the heat effect meta-analysis and 7 were included in the cold effect meta-analysis.Despite high heterogeneity, the result showed 2.4% higher risk of renal colic for 1ºC higher daily ambient temperature [Cohen's d: 0.013 (95% CI: 0.010, 0.015) or RR: 1.024 J o u r n a l P r e -p r o o f (95% CI: 1.020, 1.028);I 2 : 99.7%, p <0.001].For a 1ºC lower daily ambient temperature, the risk of renal colic was 1.5% [Cohen's d: 0.008 (95% CI: -0.000, 0.016) or RR: 1.015 (95% CI:1.000, 1.029);I 2 : 73.2%, p 0.05], however not statistically significant.Limitations: Limitations of this systematic review include high heterogeneity and publication bias.Conclusions: Elevated daily ambient temperature is associated with the risk of renal colic, suggesting an adverse effect of high ambient temperature on kidney function.

Source: Kidney Medicine

DOI: 10.1016/j.xkme.2025.101179