Wang SP, Zhou YF, Tang CB, Huang SS, Zhou Y, Cao ZP, Chen W. Correlation of hypercalcemia with kidney stone formation and calcium-regulating hormone changes in patients with acute pancreatitis. World J Gastrointest Surg 2025; 17(12): 111221 [DOI: 10.4240/wjgs.v17.i12.111221]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Wei Chen, MD, Associate Chief Physician, Department of Urology, Ningbo Urology and Nephrology Hospital, No. 1 Qianhe North Road, Yinzhou District, Ningbo 315100, Zhejiang Province, China. chenweikhm@126.com
Research Domain of This Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Article-Type of This Article
Retrospective Study
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (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: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Dec 27, 2025 (publication date) through Dec 25, 2025
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Journal Information of This Article
Publication Name
World Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery
ISSN
1948-9366
Publisher of This Article
Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA
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Wang SP, Zhou YF, Tang CB, Huang SS, Zhou Y, Cao ZP, Chen W. Correlation of hypercalcemia with kidney stone formation and calcium-regulating hormone changes in patients with acute pancreatitis. World J Gastrointest Surg 2025; 17(12): 111221 [DOI: 10.4240/wjgs.v17.i12.111221]
Shun-Ping Wang, You-Feng Zhou, Chun-Bo Tang, Shuai-Shuai Huang, Yong Zhou, Zi-Pei Cao, Wei Chen, Department of Urology, Ningbo Urology and Nephrology Hospital, Ningbo 315100, Zhejiang Province, China
Author contributions: Wang SP and Tang CB proposed the concept of this study; Tang CB participated in data collection; Wang SP wrote the initial draft; Chen W, Huang SS, and Zhou Y contributed to the formal analysis of this study; Cao ZP and Zhou Y guided the research, methodology, and visualization of the manuscript; Wang SP, Chen W, Tang CB, Huang SS, and Cao ZP participated in the study, validated the results, and jointly reviewed and edited the manuscript. All authors approved the final version to publish.
Supported by Zhejiang Province Medical and Health Science and Technology Program Project, No. 2021KY1067.
Institutional review board statement: This study was approved and reviewed by the Ethics Committee of Ningbo Urology and Kidney Disease Hospital, No. 2020-214-01(z).
Informed consent statement: Informed consent forms signed by the patients and their guardians were obtained for this study.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Data sharing statement: No available data.
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: Wei Chen, MD, Associate Chief Physician, Department of Urology, Ningbo Urology and Nephrology Hospital, No. 1 Qianhe North Road, Yinzhou District, Ningbo 315100, Zhejiang Province, China. chenweikhm@126.com
Received: July 29, 2025 Revised: August 21, 2025 Accepted: October 22, 2025 Published online: December 27, 2025 Processing time: 148 Days and 17.5 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a severe inflammatory condition of the pancreas that leads to significant morbidity and metabolic disturbances. Hypercalcemia, or elevated serum calcium levels, is a concerning complication that may contribute to kidney stone formation and exacerbate renal issues. Calcium homeostasis is regulated by hormones, such as parathyroid hormone (PTH), calcitonin, and vitamin D, which can be altered in AP. Understanding the interplay among hypercalcemia, kidney stones, and hormonal changes is crucial for improving management strategies and clinical outcomes in patients with AP.
AIM
To investigate the relationship between hypercalcemia and kidney stone formation in patients with AP, along with changes in calcium-regulating hormone levels.
METHODS
This study was conducted in 200 patients diagnosed with AP at Ningbo Urology and Nephrology Hospital. The participants underwent regular monitoring of serum calcium levels and kidney stone formation using imaging. Additionally, blood samples were analyzed to measure the levels of calcium-regulating hormones, including PTH, calcitonin, and vitamin D, at baseline and during the course of the disease.
RESULTS
Of the 185 patients who completed the study, 31 (16.8%) developed kidney stones during the 7-day follow-up period. Hypercalcemia occurred in 53 patients (28.6%), with a peak incidence on day 3. Among hypercalcemic patients, 41.5% developed kidney stones compared to 6.8% in normocalcemic patients (odds ratio = 9.67, 95% confidence interval: 4.12-22.68, P < 0.001). A significant positive correlation was found between hypercalcemia and kidney stone formation (P < 0.001). Elevated PTH levels were noted in 60% of the patients with hypercalcemia, indicating a strong association between increased PTH levels, hypercalcemia, and kidney stone formation.
CONCLUSION
This study highlights the complex interplay between AP, calcium metabolism, and renal complications, providing insights that may guide future therapeutic strategies.
Core Tip: This study aimed to examine the relationship between hypercalcemia and kidney stone formation in patients with acute pancreatitis. Of the 200 patients, 35% developed kidney stones, with a significant correlation between hypercalcemia and stone formation (P < 0.001). Notably, elevated parathyroid hormone levels were observed in 60% of patients with hypercalcemia, underscoring the complex interactions between calcium metabolism and renal complications in acute pancreatitis. Understanding these relationships is essential for enhancing management strategies and improving clinical outcomes.
