Department of Medicine Faculty

Academic Interests

Dr. Elaine Worcester studies the processes that contribute to kidney stone formation, in order to find ways to better prevent stones, in collaboration with Dr. Fredric Coe. This includes studies of the absorption and renal excretion of minerals involved in stone formation in patients with stones, and studies of the clinical characteristics of patients with differing types of stones, as well as the effect of stone formation on renal function and blood pressure. New models of stone disease are also being developed, in collaboration with investigators from the sections of Urology and Gastroenterology.

Clinical Interests

Care of patients with chronic kidney disease, including those on hemodialysis, and also in the care of patients with kidney stones.

Representative Publications

1. Worcester E, Parks JH, Josephson MA, Thisted RA, Coe FL: Causes and consequences of kidney loss in patients with nephrolithiasis. Kidney Int 64:2204-2213, 2003.
2. Gillen DL, Worcester EM, Coe FL: Decreased renal function among non-diabetic patients with a history of nephrolithiasis: a study of the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Kidney Int. 67:685-690, 2005.
3. Worcester, EM, Coe FL, Parks JH: Reduced renal function and benefits of treatment in cystinuria vs other forms of nephrolithiasis. BJU International 97:1285-1290, 2006.
4. Worcester EM, Evan AP, Bledsoe S, Lyon M, Chuang M, Orvieto M, Laven B, Gerber G, Coe FL. Pathophysiological correlates of two unique renal tubule lesions in rats with intestinal resection. Am J. Physiol., in press.
5. Worcester E, Gillen D, Evan A, Parks J, Wright K, Trumbore L, Nakagawa Y, Coe FL. Evidence that post-prandial reduction of renal calcium reabsorption mediates the hypercalciuria of patients with calcium nephrolithiasis. Am J Physiol, in press.