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2026, Vol: 10, Issue: 9
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Review Article
Online Published: 30 Aug 2026
 


Impact of psychological stress on kidney stone formation and lower urinary tract symptoms: a systematic review

Mohannad Alharbi, Mohammed Yousef Alfurayhi, Omar Saleh Aldhuwayhi, Abdulmalik Yousef Aldebasi, Khaled Mounir Almoutairi, Ibrahim Almohaimeed, Rayan Mohammed Alsuhaibani, Ziyad Mohammed Alsughayyir, Salman Abdulrahman Alghamdi, Tarek Mashel M Alharbi, Faris Hamad Alneghimshi, Hajar Almutairi, Abdulelah Mohammad Alhassan, Yousef Jamal Aldaher, Reema Abdullah Alhoushani.


Abstract
Even though there is a sound rationale for neuroendocrine dysregulation due to chronic stress and its contribution to urological dysfunction through the brain-bladder axis pathway, the literature is sparse and poorly designed. The current systematic review sought to provide a synthesis of the available scientific literature concerning the effects of psychological stress, including depression, anxiety, perceived stress, adverse childhood experiences, and other related disorders, on the etiology and severity of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). A systematic search across five bibliographic databases was performed up until March 2026, in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 guidelines (PROSPERO: CRD420261347656). A total of 20 studies (total N = 59,882 subjects) fulfilled the inclusion criteria. LUTS was the most studied urological endpoint, mentioned in all 20 studies under consideration; kidney stone formation was not used as an endpoint in any of the studies. Psychological distress, especially depression and anxiety, is consistently linked to higher LUTS severity across various populations and methodologies. A dose-response relationship was observed between chronic major depression and development of LUTS/BPH (RR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.11-2.28); genetic propensity for depression was an independent factor for developing nocturia (OR, 1.33), and anxiety was a risk factor for mixed urinary incontinence (OR, 1.20). Yet, causality is hampered by the use of cross-sectional methodology and subjective measures. Prospective studies that include objective urodynamic markers and stress biological markers are needed. A clinical pathway combining urology and psychiatry practice and a screening program for psychological disorders among LUTS patients can be discussed.

Key words: Lower urinary tract symptoms, LUTS, psychological stress, depression, anxiety, overactive bladder, urinary incontinence, systematic review


 
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How to Cite this Article
Pubmed Style

Alharbi M, Alfurayhi MY, Aldhuwayhi OS, Aldebasi AY, Almoutairi KM, Almohaimeed I, Alsuhaibani RM, Alsughayyir ZM, Alghamdi SA, Alharbi TMM, Alneghimshi FH, Almutairi H, Alhassan AM, Aldaher YJ, Alhoushani RA. Impact of psychological stress on kidney stone formation and lower urinary tract symptoms: a systematic review. IJMDC. 2026; 10(9): 2811-2821. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1782340559

Web Style

Alharbi M, Alfurayhi MY, Aldhuwayhi OS, Aldebasi AY, Almoutairi KM, Almohaimeed I, Alsuhaibani RM, Alsughayyir ZM, Alghamdi SA, Alharbi TMM, Alneghimshi FH, Almutairi H, Alhassan AM, Aldaher YJ, Alhoushani RA. Impact of psychological stress on kidney stone formation and lower urinary tract symptoms: a systematic review. https://www.ijmdc.com/?mno=325618 [Access: September 19, 2026]. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1782340559

AMA (American Medical Association) Style

Alharbi M, Alfurayhi MY, Aldhuwayhi OS, Aldebasi AY, Almoutairi KM, Almohaimeed I, Alsuhaibani RM, Alsughayyir ZM, Alghamdi SA, Alharbi TMM, Alneghimshi FH, Almutairi H, Alhassan AM, Aldaher YJ, Alhoushani RA. Impact of psychological stress on kidney stone formation and lower urinary tract symptoms: a systematic review. IJMDC. 2026; 10(9): 2811-2821. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1782340559


Vancouver/ICMJE Style

Alharbi M, Alfurayhi MY, Aldhuwayhi OS, Aldebasi AY, Almoutairi KM, Almohaimeed I, Alsuhaibani RM, Alsughayyir ZM, Alghamdi SA, Alharbi TMM, Alneghimshi FH, Almutairi H, Alhassan AM, Aldaher YJ, Alhoushani RA. Impact of psychological stress on kidney stone formation and lower urinary tract symptoms: a systematic review. IJMDC. (2026), [cited September 19, 2026]; 10(9): 2811-2821. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1782340559


Harvard Style

Alharbi, M., Alfurayhi, . M. Y., Aldhuwayhi, . O. S., Aldebasi, . A. Y., Almoutairi, . K. M., Almohaimeed, . I., Alsuhaibani, . R. M., Alsughayyir, . Z. M., Alghamdi, . S. A., Alharbi, . T. M. M., Alneghimshi, . F. H., Almutairi, . H., Alhassan, . A. M., Aldaher, . Y. J. & Alhoushani, . R. A. (2026) Impact of psychological stress on kidney stone formation and lower urinary tract symptoms: a systematic review. IJMDC, 10 (9), 2811-2821. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1782340559


Turabian Style

Alharbi, Mohannad, Mohammed Yousef Alfurayhi, Omar Saleh Aldhuwayhi, Abdulmalik Yousef Aldebasi, Khaled Mounir Almoutairi, Ibrahim Almohaimeed, Rayan Mohammed Alsuhaibani, Ziyad Mohammed Alsughayyir, Salman Abdulrahman Alghamdi, Tarek Mashel M Alharbi, Faris Hamad Alneghimshi, Hajar Almutairi, Abdulelah Mohammad Alhassan, Yousef Jamal Aldaher, and Reema Abdullah Alhoushani. 2026. Impact of psychological stress on kidney stone formation and lower urinary tract symptoms: a systematic review. International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries, 10 (9), 2811-2821. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1782340559


Chicago Style

Alharbi, Mohannad, Mohammed Yousef Alfurayhi, Omar Saleh Aldhuwayhi, Abdulmalik Yousef Aldebasi, Khaled Mounir Almoutairi, Ibrahim Almohaimeed, Rayan Mohammed Alsuhaibani, Ziyad Mohammed Alsughayyir, Salman Abdulrahman Alghamdi, Tarek Mashel M Alharbi, Faris Hamad Alneghimshi, Hajar Almutairi, Abdulelah Mohammad Alhassan, Yousef Jamal Aldaher, and Reema Abdullah Alhoushani. "Impact of psychological stress on kidney stone formation and lower urinary tract symptoms: a systematic review." International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries 10 (2026), 2811-2821. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1782340559


MLA (The Modern Language Association) Style

Alharbi, Mohannad, Mohammed Yousef Alfurayhi, Omar Saleh Aldhuwayhi, Abdulmalik Yousef Aldebasi, Khaled Mounir Almoutairi, Ibrahim Almohaimeed, Rayan Mohammed Alsuhaibani, Ziyad Mohammed Alsughayyir, Salman Abdulrahman Alghamdi, Tarek Mashel M Alharbi, Faris Hamad Alneghimshi, Hajar Almutairi, Abdulelah Mohammad Alhassan, Yousef Jamal Aldaher, and Reema Abdullah Alhoushani. "Impact of psychological stress on kidney stone formation and lower urinary tract symptoms: a systematic review." International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries 10.9 (2026), 2811-2821. Print. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1782340559


APA (American Psychological Association) Style

Alharbi, M., Alfurayhi, . M. Y., Aldhuwayhi, . O. S., Aldebasi, . A. Y., Almoutairi, . K. M., Almohaimeed, . I., Alsuhaibani, . R. M., Alsughayyir, . Z. M., Alghamdi, . S. A., Alharbi, . T. M. M., Alneghimshi, . F. H., Almutairi, . H., Alhassan, . A. M., Aldaher, . Y. J. & Alhoushani, . R. A. (2026) Impact of psychological stress on kidney stone formation and lower urinary tract symptoms: a systematic review. International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries, 10 (9), 2811-2821. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1782340559




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