Which type of kidney stone is associated with chronic urinary tract infections?

Struvite stones are specifically associated with chronic urinary tract infections (UTIs), particularly those caused by certain bacteria that produce urease, an enzyme that breaks down urea into ammonia. This process increases the pH of urine, leading to the formation of struvite stones, which are composed of magnesium ammonium phosphate. These stones can grow large and form staghorn calculi, which can significantly obstruct the urinary tract.

Chronic UTIs contribute to higher urinary pH levels, providing a conducive environment for the precipitation of struvite crystals. This is in contrast to the other types of stones mentioned. For instance, calcium stones are the most common type of kidney stones and can occur due to various factors, including dietary influences, metabolic disorders, and dehydration but are not specifically related to urinary infections. Uric acid stones are linked to conditions that lead to high levels of uric acid in the urine, while cystine stones are the result of a genetic disorder that causes excessive amounts of cystine in the urine. None of these types of stones are directly linked to the presence of urinary tract infections in the same way struvite stones are.