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Review of NASA's Evidence Reports on Human Health Risks 2017 Letter Report (2018) / Chapter Skim
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Risk of Renal Stone Formation
Pages 21-26

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From page 21...
... However, the general recommendation to refocus the report so that it addresses cardiac health holistically, rather than focusing solely or primarily on arrhythmias, has not been addressed in the current report. RISK OF RENAL STONE FORMATION The evidence report on the risk of renal stone formation suggests that astronauts may be at an increased risk for forming kidney stones due to changes in bone metabolism, dehydration, nutrition, and the supersaturation of urine salts.
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From page 22...
... Does the Evidence Report Provide Sufficient Evidence, as Well as Sufficient Risk Context, That the Risk Is of Concern for Long-Term Space Missions? The authors provide clear evidence that astronauts experience increased supersaturation of salts in their urine during flights due to altered bone metabolism and dehydration, which may increase the risk of renal stone formation.
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From page 23...
... Finally, while the report focuses on describing, quantifying, and preventing renal stone formation in flight, it is unlikely that the risk will ever be completely eliminated. This is reflected in the NASA evidence report Risk of Adverse Health Outcomes and Decrements in Performance Due to In-Flight Medical Conditions (Antonsen et al., 2017)
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From page 24...
... Perhaps ongoing research will suggest that dehydration is a larger contributing factor than the loss of bone mineral density. Additionally, Gap B8 (Do pharmaceuticals work effectively in spaceflight to prevent renal stones?
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From page 25...
... Is the Breadth of the Cited Literature Sufficient? The bibliography includes a good selection of the space life sciences literature on the risk of renal stone formation but is lacking sources from the urology literature on the stone formation process and current practices for preventing stones.
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From page 26...
... As currently written, questions remain as to the current understanding of the stone formation process as well as to the standard practices for preventing stones on Earth. Aviation medicine has strict requirements for pilots with regard to the diagnosis of renal stones, and strategies to prevent stones may be possible to implement in spaceflight.
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Key Terms

  • renal stone
  • renal stones
  • evidence report
  • kidney stone
  • formation process

  • evidence reports
  • kidney stones
  • potassium citrate
  • preventing stones
  • stone risk

  • dietary sources
  • increased risk
  • altered bone
  • bone demineralization
  • bone metabolism

  • formation suggests
  • report risk
  • bone loss
  • nasa evidence
  • real incidence

  • dietary stone
  • forming renal
  • stone event
  • treat renal
  • venting renal

  • stone analysis
  • symptomatic renal
  • reduce stone
  • prevent renal
  • stone inhibitors


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