Incidence of renal stones in 18 British towns. A collaborative study.

The geographical distribution of renal stones in England and Wales was investigated by selecting 18 towns which encompassed a range of social and economic conditions. Case registers of stone patients were maintained in the hospitals for 2 years; they included out-patients and in-patients. The annual registration rate was 22/100,000 population. Additional information was available for 1980 from Hospital Activity Analysis and the annual rate was 28/100,000. It is suggested that this is the best estimate of the incidence of renal stones in England and Wales. The rate ranged from 56/100,000 in Canterbury to 15/100,000 in Burton-on-Trent. The incidence of renal stones was higher in towns with better social and economic conditions. In comparison, climatic factors, latitude and water hardness were not important determinants of the distribution of renal stones.