Clinical Research Directory

Multicenter Study to Develop a Model to Identify Uric Acid Urinary Tract Stones Using CT and Lab Tests

Urinary tract stones are a common condition affecting the kidney, ureter, bladder, and urethra. Uric acid stones represent an important subtype of urinary stones and require different prevention and treatment strategies compared with other stone types. However, accurate identification of uric acid stones before treatment remains challenging in routine clinical practice. This multicenter observational study aims to develop and validate a precision classification model to distinguish uric acid urinary tract stones from non-uric acid stones using multimodal parameters. These parameters include patients' clinical characteristics, laboratory test results, and computed tomography (CT) imaging features. Patients undergoing surgical treatment for urinary tract stones at participating centers will be enrolled. Stone composition determined by infrared spectroscopy after surgery will be used as the reference standard. By integrating clinical, laboratory, and imaging data, this study seeks to establish a practical and reliable model to improve the classification of uric acid stones and support individualized clinical management.

ESWL for Distal Ureteric Stone: Supine Versus Prone

Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) for urinary stone is common and widespread nowadays. Approximately 80% of urinary stones are treated by ESWL. Traditionally distal ureteric stones are treated with ESWL in the prone position. However, as some patients cannot tolerate lying in the prone due to medical illness such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), some authors have reported using the supine approach of ESWL for treatment of distal ureter stones. No serious complications had developed in the patients who underwent supine approach. Only minor complications such as self-limiting blood in the urine, painful passage of urine, or local pain that had responded to oral painkillers. There were no serious complications encountered in children as well. In the most recent retrospective review by Tolley et al, they had revealed that patients who had underwent supine ESWL for distal ureteric stones had an improved stone-free rate compared with the traditional prone approach. Patient with radio-opaque distal ureteric stones (stones below the sacroiliac joint) on KUB X-ray, who have opted for ESWL treatment, are randomized into two groups: one undergoing ESWL in the supine position and the other undergoing ESWL in the prone position. Patients will be observed for two hours after ESWL before being discharged. Oral painkillers as necessary will be provided to the patient. The patients will have a KUB Xray at 2 weeks post-ESWL, and then monthly afterwards if required. If there are residual stones at the 2-week follow-up, the patient will be offered ESWL again. Patients are free to withdraw from the study at any time and will continue to be managed as per usual. The investigators aim to have 130 patients, with 65 patients in each group with an interim analyses to be performed when 66 patients have been recruited (33 patients in each group).