Review Identifies Different Approaches to Prevent Nephrolithiasis

TUESDAY, March 24, 2026 (HealthDay News) -- Several approaches, including increased fluid intake and dietary changes, may prevent kidney stone recurrence, according to a review published online March 24 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.Gary N. Asher, M.D., M.P.H., from the RTI-University of North Carolina Evidence-based Practice Center in Durham, and colleagues conducted a systematic review to examine the benefits and harms of diet, pharmacologic therapy, and surveillance imaging to prevent recurrent nephrolithiasis. The review included 26 randomized controlled trials and five nonrandomized studies of interventions.The researchers found that none of the 31 studies assessed imaging strategies; apart from three, all studies included adults only. Data revealed that stone recurrence may be reduced for adults with calcium oxalate or phosphate stones with increased water intake; a diet with normal to high calcium, low protein, and low sodium; thiazides; alkali treatment; and allopurinol. Selective and empirical pharmacotherapy may not differ. In adults with infection-related stones, acetohydroxamic acid may reduce stone growth, but evidence was insufficient for prevention of recurrent stones; adverse events were also probably increased. Minor adverse events may be increased with lemon juice, while no increased harm was seen due to adverse events with thiazides and allopurinol."Increased fluid intake; a diet with normal to high calcium, low protein, and low sodium (versus a low-calcium diet); thiazide diuretics; alkali therapy; and allopurinol may have at least a small benefit for prevention of recurrent kidney stones in adults with calcium oxalate or calcium phosphate stones," the authors write.Abstract/Full Text.Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

Review Identifies Different Approaches to Prevent Nephrolithiasis

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