Towards solving the riddle of nephrolithiasis: a South Africa perspective
Abstract
South Africa has a rich tradition in urinary tract stone research. This paper asks what research originating from South Africa has contributed to the understanding of the pathophysiology of nephrolithiasis. Many of these contributions are based on the premise that ethnicity variation accounts for dramatic differences in the prevalence of nephrolithiasis and that South Africa represents an ideal place for investigating this variation. It needs to be noted that many of the papers dealing with this question, as Rodgers has put it, “demonstrate an insensitivity to racial terminology and classifications.”1 We have nevertheless attempted to review these papers to understand what valid science this literature holds and how it can inform further work in the relatively under-investigated field of nephrolithiasis aetiology and pathophysiology.
The South African Journal of Surgery (SAJS) reserves copyright of the material published. The work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial Works 4.0 South Africa License. Material submitted for publication in the SAJS is accepted provided it has not been published elsewhere. The SAJS does not hold itself responsible for statements made by the authors.