Renal calculi in army aviators.

A study of U.S. Army active duty aviators was done using the Aeromedical Epidemiology Data Repository (AEDR) for the period of January 1984 through December 1987 to determine the incidence of renal calculi in this population. Age-specific rates were found to be highest in the 30-54 year age group. The overall annual incidence was determined to be 4.7/1000 population of white male aviators. After standardization to the 1960 U.S. white population, the incidence in aviators was found to be 2.2/1000, almost double that of a Rochester, MN male population (1.2/1000). The aviation environment may predispose Army aviators to dehydration and play an etiologic role in the genesis of renal calculi. Medical evaluation, treatment, and administrative disposition of Army aviators with renal calculi are also briefly discussed.