Renal calculi analysis is a laborious and expensive test. In Alberta, 16% of repeated renal calculi tests occurred within ~5 years (88% were repeated within 3 years). However, the repeated test only rarely demonstrated a change in stone composition (5.5% of all repeats). Similarly, the first epidemiology study of urolithiasis in New Brunswick found that 14% of renal calculi tests were repeated within 3 years, and in all cases, there was no compositional change. Both Canadian Urological Association and American College of Physicians do not recommend routinely monitoring calculi composition for recurrent stones. A calculi analysis may be repeated if there are significant systemic and/or urinary abnormalities, or patients do not respond to treatment.
Sources:
Chen VY, Chen Y. The first epidemiology study of urolithiasis in New Brunswick. Can Urol Assoc J 2021;15(7):E356-60. http://dx.doi.org/10.5489/cuaj.6888. PMID: 33382373.
Paterson R, Fernandez A, Razvi H, Sutton R. Evaluation and medical management of the kidney stone patient. Can Urol Assoc J 2010;4(6):375-9. PMID: 21191493.
Qaseem A, Dallas P, Forciea MA, Starkey M, Denberg TD; Clinical Guidelines Committee of the American College of Physicians. Dietary and pharmacologic management to prevent recurrent nephrolithiasis in adults: a clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians. Ann Intern Med 2014;161(9):659-67. PMID: 25364887.
Sadrzadeh SM, Orton D, Burgess E, et al. Utilization of renal calculi analyses in Calgary. Clin Biochem 2016;49:1429.