To hypothesize an association between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and urinary calculi (UC) and assess the presence of such an association using a national population-based dataset. Elevated systemic proinflammatory pathways found in OSA patients may be linked to increased cardiovascular risk. Similar pathways have been identified in patients with UC.

We identified 53,791 patients who had received a new diagnosis of UC between 2003 and 2008 from a dataset based on Taiwan's National Health Insurance program. We randomly selected 161,373 controls and then identified subjects with prior OSA in both groups. Odds ratios (ORs) for prior OSA in UC patients compared with controls were estimated in conditional logistic regression analyses by sex and by age group.

Prevalences of prior OSA were 1.2% in all subjects, 1.5% in patients with UC, and 1.1% in controls. After adjusting for patients' monthly income, geographic location, urbanization level, hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease and hyperlipidemia, and obesity, the OR for prior OSA in UC patients was 1.38 (95% CI 1.30-1.49) compared with controls. Prior OSA was associated with UC both in both males (OR 1.30, 95% CI 1.18-1.41) and females (OR 1.45, 95% CI 1.22-1.67). Notably, the adjusted OR was most pronounced in the youngest age group, <35 years (OR 2.57, 95% CI 1.97-3.34).

We conclude that patients with UC had a higher prevalence of prior OSA. The OR for prior OSA was most pronounced in the youngest age group.