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Sleep
Position May Play
A Role In Kidney Stones
NEW
YORK (Reuters Health) - Consistently sleeping on one side of the
body may make this weight-bearing side more prone to kidney stones,
new research suggests.
Kidney stones
are hard masses that form when the crystals separate from the
urine and accumulate in the kidneys. Urinary tract infections,
certain kidney and metabolic disorders, and excessive vitamin
D intake are among the triggers of stone formation. But often,
it is unclear why a person develops kidney stones.
The stones
often pass out of the body in the urine, but can be incredibly
painful during the passage.
In a 2-year
study of 110 patients who suffered from stones on one side of
the body, researchers found that patients' stones frequently recurred
on the side they favored during sleep. Of the 93 patients who
consistently slept on one side, three-quarters had their kidney
stones on that side.
Dr. Marshall
L. Stoller and his colleagues at the University of California,
San Francisco, report their findings in the April issue of The
Journal of Urology.
It is ``striking,''
the researchers write, that many patients form kidney stones on
one side of the body. If the components of urine were the major
factor in their stone formation, they note, stones would logically
occur on both sides of the body.
This study,
according to the authors, suggests that sleep position plays a
role--possibly by affecting blood flow to the kidneys. Temporary
slow-downs in circulation to the kidneys may affect the organs'
ability to clear itself of various substances, the report indicates.
``Our study
suggests that simple methods to alter sleep habits may help prevent
recurrent (kidney stones),'' Stoller and colleagues conclude.
They suggest that sleep position be factored into the treatment
and prevention of kidney stones that recur on one side.
SOURCE:
The Journal of Urology 2001;165:1085-1087.
Reference
Source 89
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