UrolithiasisMicroplasticsNCT07841834
Assessment of Urinary Microplastic Concentration in Patients With Urolithiasis: A Prospective Case-Control Study
An observational study of Urolithiasis, run by Konya City Hospital.
Trial summary
This prospective observational case-control study aims to evaluate the presence and burden of microplastic particles in urine samples from patients with kidney and ureteral stones and to compare these findings with healthy controls. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Urolithiasis
- How many people
- 100 participants
- Where
- No sites listed yet
- Study dates
- 1 Sep 2026to 1 Sep 2027
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Study population: The study population will consist of adult participants with kidney or ureteral stones and healthy control participants. Participants in the urinary stone group will have a diagnosis of kidney or ureteral stone disease. Healthy controls will have no current or previous diagnosis of urinary stone disease. Participants will be recruited prospectively from the study center and will provide informed consent before enrollment. Midstream urine samples will be collected from all participants for microplastic detection and characterization. Clinical and demographic data will be recorded for the urinary stone group, including stone size, localization, and stone density measured in Hounsfield units.
Who may be able to join
- Participants will be eligible if they are 18 years of age or older, are able to provide informed consent, and meet the criteria for either the urinary stone group or the healthy control group. Participants in the urinary stone group will have a diagnosis of kidney or ureteral stone disease. Healthy controls will have no current or previous diagnosis of urinary stone disease.
Who cannot join
- Participants will be excluded if they are unable or unwilling to provide informed consent, have an active urinary tract infection at the time of urine sample collection, are pregnant, or are unable to provide an adequate urine sample for laboratory analysis. Participants will also be excluded if the urine sample is considered unsuitable or significantly contaminated during laboratory processing.
Trial locations and contacts
No sites are listed yet. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
About this study
Official title: Quantitative and Qualitative Evaluation of Urinary Microplastic Load in Patients With Kidney/Ureteral Stones: A Single-Center Prospective Case-Control Study
This prospective observational case-control study aims to evaluate the presence and burden of microplastic particles in urine samples from patients with kidney and ureteral stones and to compare these findings with healthy controls. The study will also investigate the associations between urinary microplastic burden and clinical characteristics of urinary stone disease, including stone size, stone density measured in Hounsfield units (HU), localization, and stone composition.
Read the detailed description
Urinary stone disease is a common urological condition with a multifactorial etiology. Although established metabolic, dietary, genetic, and environmental factors contribute to stone formation, the potential role of microplastic exposure in urinary stone disease remains insufficiently understood.
In this prospective observational case-control study, patients diagnosed with kidney or ureteral stones and healthy control participants will be evaluated. Following informed consent, demographic and clinical data will be collected. A midstream urine sample will be obtained from each participant for laboratory analysis.
Urine samples will undergo laboratory processing for the detection and characterization of suspected microplastic particles. The analytical process will include centrifugation, Proteinase K treatment, membrane filtration, microscopic examination, image analysis using ImageJ, and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy for polymer identification.
In participants with urinary stones, available stone specimens will also be analyzed for stone composition. Imaging-derived stone characteristics, including stone size, localization, and density in Hounsfield units, will be recorded.
The primary objective is to compare urinary microplastic burden between participants with urinary stones and healthy controls. Secondary analyses will investigate the relationships between urinary microplastic burden and stone characteristics, including stone size, density, localization, and composition.
The study does not involve administration of investigational drugs, use of investigational medical devices, or additional invasive procedures. Participation will involve collection of a urine sample and collection of clinical data obtained during routine clinical care.
- Conditions
- Urolithiasis
- Being tested
- No Intervention
- Keywords
- Microplastics, Urolithiasis, Ureteral stones, Urinary microplastics, Kidney stones, Urinary stone disease, FTIR spectroscopy
- Medical subject headings
- Urolithiasis, Kidney Calculi
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
No InterventionOther
This is an observational study. No study-specific intervention will be assigned to participants.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Urinary Stone Group | Participants diagnosed with kidney or ureteral stones will be included in this group. Demographic and clinical data, including age, sex, body mass index, stone size, stone localization, and stone density measured in Hounsfield units, will be recorded. Midstream urine samples will be collected for microplastic detection and characterization. When available, stone specimens obtained during routine clinical treatment will be analyzed for stone composition. Receives: Other: No Intervention | |
| Healthy Control Group | Participants without current or previous urinary stone disease will be included in this group. Demographic and relevant clinical data will be recorded. Midstream urine samples will be collected and analyzed using the same laboratory procedures as those applied to the urinary stone group for detection and characterization of microplastic particles. Receives: Other: No Intervention |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Urinary Microplastic Burden
Urinary microplastic burden will be assessed as the number of confirmed microplastic particles detected per milliliter of urine (particles/mL). Microplastic particles will be identified by microscopic examination and confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy based on polymer characteristics. The urinary microplastic burden will be compared between the urinary stone group and the healthy control group.
Measured: At enrollment
Microplastic Polymer Type
The polymer types of confirmed microplastic particles detected in urine samples will be identified by FTIR spectroscopy and reported according to polymer type, including polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene, and other identified polymers.
Measured: At enrollment
Secondary outcomes (2)
Association Between Urinary Microplastic Burden and Stone Size
The association between urinary microplastic burden and maximum urinary stone diameter will be evaluated in participants with kidney or ureteral stones.
Measured: At enrollment
Association Between Urinary Microplastic Burden and Stone Density
The association between urinary microplastic burden and urinary stone density measured in Hounsfield units (HU) on computed tomography will be evaluated in participants with kidney or ureteral stones.
Measured: At enrollment
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted25 Sep 2026
- Study start1 Sep 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion1 Sep 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion1 Sep 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (4)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for UrolithiasisStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Case-control
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Enrolment
- 100 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Konya City Hospital
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Mehmet Serkan Ozkent, Konya City Hospital
- Investigators
- Mehmet Serkan Özkent, MD, Principal investigator, Konya City HospitalBatuhan Ağrulu, MD, Principal investigator, Konya City Hospital
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07841834
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- KSH-2026/166
- Acronym
- Microplastics
- Status last verified
- Sep 2026
- First submitted
- 20 Sep 2026
- Last updated
- 25 Sep 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12989-026-00661-0
Agarwal DK, Lulich JP, Furrow E, Simcik M. Microplastic Particles Are Present in Mammalian Urolithiasis. Journal of Urology. doi:10.1097/01.JU.0001109956.38240.97.13.
O'Callaghan L, Olsen M, Tajouri L, Beaver D, Hudson C, Alghafri R, McKirdy S, Goldsworthy A. Plastic induced urinary tract disease and dysfunction: a scoping review. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. 2025 Sep;35(5):770-784. doi: 10.1038/s41370-024-00709-3. Epub 2024 Aug 31.
PubMed 39217203de Oliveira RB, Pelepenko LE, Masaro DA, Lustosa GMMM, de Oliveira MC, Roza NAV, Marciano MA, Dos Reis LM, Kamel S, Louvet L, Mazon T. Effects of microplastics on the kidneys: a narrative review. Kidney Int. 2024 Sep;106(3):400-407. doi: 10.1016/j.kint.2024.05.023. Epub 2024 Jun 18.
PubMed 38901606
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 25 Sep 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Quantitative and Qualitative Evaluation of Urinary Microplastic Load in Patients With Kidney/Ureteral Stones: A Single-Center Prospective Case-Control Study
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07841834
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- Microplastics / KSH-2026/166
- Conditions
- Urolithiasis
- Keywords
- Microplastics, Urolithiasis, Ureteral stones, Urinary microplastics, Kidney stones, Urinary stone disease, FTIR spectroscopy
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 100 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Konya City HospitalUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Sep 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 1 Sep 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 1 Sep 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 25 Sep 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This prospective observational case-control study aims to evaluate the presence and burden of microplastic particles in urine samples from patients with kidney and ureteral stones and to compare these findings with healthy controls. The study will also investigate the associations between urinary microplastic burden and clinical characteristics of urinary stone disease, including stone size, stone density measured in Hounsfield units (HU), localization, and stone composition.
Detailed description
Urinary stone disease is a common urological condition with a multifactorial etiology. Although established metabolic, dietary, genetic, and environmental factors contribute to stone formation, the potential role of microplastic exposure in urinary stone disease remains insufficiently understood.
In this prospective observational case-control study, patients diagnosed with kidney or ureteral stones and healthy control participants will be evaluated. Following informed consent, demographic and clinical data will be collected. A midstream urine sample will be obtained from each participant for laboratory analysis.
Urine samples will undergo laboratory processing for the detection and characterization of suspected microplastic particles. The analytical process will include centrifugation, Proteinase K treatment, membrane filtration, microscopic examination, image analysis using ImageJ, and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy for polymer identification.
In participants with urinary stones, available stone specimens will also be analyzed for stone composition. Imaging-derived stone characteristics, including stone size, localization, and density in Hounsfield units, will be recorded.
The primary objective is to compare urinary microplastic burden between participants with urinary stones and healthy controls. Secondary analyses will investigate the relationships between urinary microplastic burden and stone characteristics, including stone size, density, localization, and composition.
The study does not involve administration of investigational drugs, use of investigational medical devices, or additional invasive procedures. Participation will involve collection of a urine sample and collection of clinical data obtained during routine clinical care.
Study design
- Observational model
- Case-control
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Urinary Stone Group | – | Other: No InterventionParticipants diagnosed with kidney or ureteral stones will be included in this group. Demographic and clinical data, including age, sex, body mass index, stone size, stone localization, and stone density measured in Hounsfield units, will be recorded. Midstream urine samples will be collected for microplastic detection and characterization. When available, stone specimens obtained during routine clinical treatment will be analyzed for stone composition. |
| Healthy Control Group | – | Other: No InterventionParticipants without current or previous urinary stone disease will be included in this group. Demographic and relevant clinical data will be recorded. Midstream urine samples will be collected and analyzed using the same laboratory procedures as those applied to the urinary stone group for detection and characterization of microplastic particles. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- The study population will consist of adult participants with kidney or ureteral stones and healthy control participants. Participants in the urinary stone group will have a diagnosis of kidney or ureteral stone disease. Healthy controls will have no current or previous diagnosis of urinary stone disease. Participants will be recruited prospectively from the study center and will provide informed consent before enrollment. Midstream urine samples will be collected from all participants for microplastic detection and characterization. Clinical and demographic data will be recorded for the urinary stone group, including stone size, localization, and stone density measured in Hounsfield units.
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Participants will be eligible if they are 18 years of age or older, are able to provide informed consent, and meet the criteria for either the urinary stone group or the healthy control group. Participants in the urinary stone group will have a diagnosis of kidney or ureteral stone disease. Healthy controls will have no current or previous diagnosis of urinary stone disease.
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Participants will be excluded if they are unable or unwilling to provide informed consent, have an active urinary tract infection at the time of urine sample collection, are pregnant, or are unable to provide an adequate urine sample for laboratory analysis. Participants will also be excluded if the urine sample is considered unsuitable or significantly contaminated during laboratory processing.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| No InterventionThis is an observational study. No study-specific intervention will be assigned to participants. | Other | Healthy Control Group, Urinary Stone Group |
Primary outcome
Urinary Microplastic Burden
Time frame: At enrollment
Urinary microplastic burden will be assessed as the number of confirmed microplastic particles detected per milliliter of urine (particles/mL). Microplastic particles will be identified by microscopic examination and confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy based on polymer characteristics. The urinary microplastic burden will be compared between the urinary stone group and the healthy control group.
Microplastic Polymer Type
Time frame: At enrollment
The polymer types of confirmed microplastic particles detected in urine samples will be identified by FTIR spectroscopy and reported according to polymer type, including polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene, and other identified polymers.
2 secondary outcomes
Association Between Urinary Microplastic Burden and Stone Size
Time frame: At enrollment
Association Between Urinary Microplastic Burden and Stone Density
Time frame: At enrollment
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 25 Sep 2026.
- Backgroundhttps://doi.org/10.1186/s12989-026-00661-0
- BackgroundAgarwal DK, Lulich JP, Furrow E, Simcik M. Microplastic Particles Are Present in Mammalian Urolithiasis. Journal of Urology. doi:10.1097/01.JU.0001109956.38240.97.13.
- Background: PubMed 39217203O'Callaghan L, Olsen M, Tajouri L, Beaver D, Hudson C, Alghafri R, McKirdy S, Goldsworthy A. Plastic induced urinary tract disease and dysfunction: a scoping review. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. 2025 Sep;35(5):770-784. doi: 10.1038/s41370-024-00709-3. Epub 2024 Aug 31.
- Background: PubMed 38901606de Oliveira RB, Pelepenko LE, Masaro DA, Lustosa GMMM, de Oliveira MC, Roza NAV, Marciano MA, Dos Reis LM, Kamel S, Louvet L, Mazon T. Effects of microplastics on the kidneys: a narrative review. Kidney Int. 2024 Sep;106(3):400-407. doi: 10.1016/j.kint.2024.05.023. Epub 2024 Jun 18.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Mehmet Serkan Özkent, MD principal investigator
Konya City Hospital
Batuhan Ağrulu, MD principal investigator
Konya City Hospital
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Urolithiasis, run by Konya City Hospital.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 25 Sep 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Mehmet Serkan S ÖZKENT, MD (+90 5059364155, msozkent@gmail.com), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Urinary Microplastic Burden (time frame: At enrollment). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07841834, which also lists 4 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 25 Sep 2026; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 7 Nov 2026.