This prospective observational case-control study aims to evaluate the presence and burden of microplastic particles in urine samples from patients with kidney and ureteral stones and to compare these findings with healthy controls. The study will also investigate the associations between urinary microplastic burden and clinical characteristics of urinary stone disease, including stone size, stone density measured in Hounsfield units (HU), localization, and stone composition.
Participants will be eligible if they are 18 years of age or older, are able to provide informed consent, and meet the criteria for either the urinary stone group or the healthy control group. Participants in the urinary stone group will have a diagnosis of kidney or ureteral stone disease. Healthy controls will have no current or previous diagnosis of urinary stone disease.
Participants will be excluded if they are unable or unwilling to provide informed consent, have an active urinary tract infection at the time of urine sample collection, are pregnant, or are unable to provide an adequate urine sample for laboratory analysis. Participants will also be excluded if the urine sample is considered unsuitable or significantly contaminated during laboratory processing.
The study population will consist of adult participants with kidney or ureteral stones and healthy control participants. Participants in the urinary stone group will have a diagnosis of kidney or ureteral stone disease. Healthy controls will have no current or previous diagnosis of urinary stone disease. Participants will be recruited prospectively from the study center and will provide informed consent before enrollment. Midstream urine samples will be collected from all participants for microplastic detection and characterization. Clinical and demographic data will be recorded for the urinary stone group, including stone size, localization, and stone density measured in Hounsfield units.
Case-control
Prospective
No Intervention
Other interventionThis is an observational study. No study-specific intervention will be assigned to participants.
Urinary Microplastic Burden
Urinary microplastic burden will be assessed as the number of confirmed microplastic particles detected per milliliter of urine (particles/mL). Microplastic particles will be identified by microscopic examination and confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy based on polymer characteristics. The urinary microplastic burden will be compared between the urinary stone group and the healthy control group.
Microplastic Polymer Type
The polymer types of confirmed microplastic particles detected in urine samples will be identified by FTIR spectroscopy and reported according to polymer type, including polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene, and other identified polymers.
Association Between Urinary Microplastic Burden and Stone Size
The association between urinary microplastic burden and maximum urinary stone diameter will be evaluated in participants with kidney or ureteral stones.
Association Between Urinary Microplastic Burden and Stone Density
The association between urinary microplastic burden and urinary stone density measured in Hounsfield units (HU) on computed tomography will be evaluated in participants with kidney or ureteral stones.
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