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Retrospective Study
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World J Diabetes. Oct 15, 2025; 16(10): 109181
Published online Oct 15, 2025. doi: 10.4239/wjd.v16.i10.109181
Risk factors for urosepsis in diabetic patients with renal and ureteral calculi: A retrospective study
Chuan Zhou, Shi-Dong Deng, Yu-Rou Wang, Peng-Xin Liu, Hui-Hui Zhang
Chuan Zhou, Shi-Dong Deng, Yu-Rou Wang, Peng-Xin Liu, Hui-Hui Zhang, Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, Hunan Province, China
Author contributions: Zhou C designed the research; Deng SD, Wang YR, and Liu PX performed research; Zhou C, Deng SD, Wang YR, Liu PX, and Zhang HH contributed new reagents or analytic tools; Deng SD, Wang YR, and Liu PX analyzed data; Zhou C wrote the paper; Zhang HH reviewed and edited the manuscript, ensuring the final version met all necessary standards before submission.
Institutional review board statement: This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China.
Informed consent statement: Written informed consent for publication was obtained from all patients.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Data sharing statement: The datasets used and/or analyzed during this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Hui-Hui Zhang, MD, Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Shigu District, Hengyang 421001, Hunan Province, China. huihuizhang1130@163.com
Received: May 6, 2025
Revised: June 16, 2025
Accepted: September 2, 2025
Published online: October 15, 2025
Processing time: 167 Days and 1.1 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND

Urosepsis is a life-threatening condition frequently associated with renal and ureteral calculi (RUC) and diabetes mellitus (DM), a combination that exacerbates susceptibility to infection due to urinary obstruction and impaired immune response.

AIM

To identify the risk factors for urosepsis in patients with RUC complicated by DM to enhance early detection and intervention strategies.

METHODS

This retrospective observational study included 298 patients with RUC and DM admitted between January 2020 and June 2024. Patients were divided into an observation group (n = 32) with urosepsis and a control group (n = 266) without urosepsis. Comprehensive clinical, laboratory, and imaging data were collected and analyzed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression models to identify factors associated with urosepsis. The study adhered to the STROBE guidelines and received ethical approval.

RESULTS

Multivariate analysis identified several independent risk factors for urosepsis. Female sex (OR = 2.237, 95%CI: 1.086-4.605, P = 0.03), advanced age (OR = 1.05, 95%CI: 1.018-1.084, P = 0.002), and fever (OR = 2.999, 95%CI: 1.283-7.015, P = 0.015) significantly increased the risk. Laboratory findings such as elevated urine leukocyte (U-LEU) (+++, OR = 66.0, 95%CI: 7.031–580.125, P < 0.001) and glucose (U-GLU) (+++, OR = 7.248, 95%CI: 1.862-28.211, P = 0.005) levels were strongly associated with urosepsis. Severe hydronephrosis also emerged as a significant predictor (OR = 6.129, 95%CI: 3.027-9.623, P = 0.011). Other factors, such as gross hematuria, stone laterality, and mild to moderate hydronephrosis, were not significantly associated with urosepsis.

CONCLUSION

This study identifies key demographic, clinical, laboratory, and imaging factors associated with urosepsis risk in patients with RUC and DM. Early identification of female patients, elderly individuals, those presenting with fever, severe hydronephrosis, and elevated U-LEU and U-GLU levels may facilitate timely intervention. These findings highlight the importance of comprehensive assessment and targeted management in the care of high-risk patients.

Keywords: Urosepsis; Upper urinary tract calculi; Diabetes mellitus; Risk factors; Hydronephrosis; Urine leukocytes

Core Tip: In our retrospective observational study involving 298 patients admitted between January 2020 and June 2024, we identified several significant risk factors for urosepsis. The study provides valuable insights into demographic, clinical, and laboratory markers that could aid in the early detection and management of this life-threatening condition. Key findings include the elevated risk associated with female gender, advanced age, fever, severe hydronephrosis, and laboratory indicators such as elevated urine leukocytes and glucose levels. Our results underscore the importance of early identification and intervention, particularly in high-risk groups, to improve patient outcomes.