Urinary excretory processes in men with urolithiasis treated during the pandemic of COVID-19

BACKGROUND: Androgen deficiency can boost stone formation in kidneys, therefore androgen replacement therapy is successfully used in the treatment of patients with urolithiasis on the background of androgen deficiency. There are numerous publications describing the work of urologists during COVID-19 pandemics however they are all devoted to organization of medical aid. Increased risk of urolithiasis during COVID infection is mentioned as well as the general decrease of physical activity during COVID and general decrease of life quality. On the other hand, the direct effect of androgen deficit not to mention the influence of augment androgen therapy on the background of COVID has never been studied. AIM: The aim of this work was to find out the possibility of using this type of therapy in the treatment in the conditions of COVID-19 pandemic as far as electrolyte metabolism and urinary excretion processes — the central links in the pathogenesis of urolithiasis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 199 male patients age 25 through 68 years were studied while under treatment at Urologic Dept. of St. Elisabeth Clinical Hospital in Saint Petersburg. Laboratory and clinical parameters were registered at he beginning of stationary treatment, after in ended and also in 4 and 12 months. Some of реу studies were accomplished in triplets skipping the moment of discharge from the hospital. Out of 99 patients received only traditional therapy (contact ureterolitotripsy after distant litotripsy) while 100 patients got androgenous replacement therapy. RESULTS: Based on the results of treatment of 199 men suffering from urolithiasis, it was found that COVID-19 infection did not create fundamental contraindications for the use of androgen replacement therapy in the treatment of urolithiasis. CONCLUSION: In patients with urolithiasis suffering from COVID-19 infection and receiving androgen replacement therapy, there was no additional increase in pathologic processes associated with the underlying disease, i.e., androgen replacement therapy was not contraindicated, therefore in case of pandemic recurrence, androgen replacement therapy can be used in the treatment of urolithiasis.