Male Balding and Kidney Stones: Is there a risk?

Authors of a 2016 study set out to determine if patients with male balding (male androgenetic alopecia) had an increased risk of urolithiasis (kidney stone disease).

There were 302 male patients in the study and patients were classified according to the degree of baldness. Patients with no baldness were classified as Group I. Patients with AGA in the frontal region (Hamilton Norwood stages II, III, IIIa, and IVa) were classified as Group II. Those with hair loss in the vertex region (HNS stage III-vertex, V) were classified as Group III. Finally, patients with hair loss in both vertex and frontal regions (HNS stages IV, Va, VI, and VII) were classed as Group IV.

The presence of urinary tract stones was detected in 28.9% of patients in Group I; 26.5% of Group II; 36.9% of Group III; and 44.4% of Group IV (p = 0.085). In patients aged under 60, urinary stone disease was statistically significantly associated with advanced balding. Stones were detected in 30.8% of patients in Group I; 26.4% of Group II; 41.2% of Group III; and 53.8% of Group IV (p = 0.001). In patients aged over 60, the data was not significant. Urolithiasis was detected in 12.5% of patients in Group I; 26.9% of Group II; 32.2% of Group III; and 37.8% of Group IV (p = 0.371).

Conclusions and Comments

This is one of the first studies to suggest a correlation between vertex pattern hair loss in males and kidney stones in patients - especially in those under age 60. The reasons for this increased risk are not entirely clear, but it is understood that testosterone may influence stone formation in some males. Other factors may be relevant but were not studied in this particular study

REFERENCE

Resorlu M et al. The association of urolithiasis and androgenetic alopecia. Ren Fail. 2016;38(1):84-8. doi: 10.3109/0886022X.2015.1096729. Epub 2015 Oct 13.