Pattern of gallstone disease in an industrial township in India: are the risk factors different?

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of gallstones among different populations is varied, which reflects the role of genetic and environmental factors, besides common factors like age, sex, parity, obesity and diet. Being a commonly treated surgical problem, we attempted to study the epidemiology, risk factors and predisposing factors related to gallbladder disease in our setup- the industrial township of Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), Bhopal, India.Methods: This was an observational study done over a period of 2 years. The patients were analyzed on the basis of age and sex distribution, dietary habits, body mass index, activity level, monthly income, family history, parity, associated illness if any, and abdominal ultrasound findings.Results: Of 104 patients, 44 were males and 60 females, with female to male ratio being 1.36:1. The commonest age group to be affected was 61 to 70 years (35 patients, 33.65%). Better socioeconomic status, lower activity level, higher parity, vegetarian diet and consumption of plant-origin fats were the factors present in most patients. No family history was present in 97.11% patients.Conclusions: As gallstones have multi-factorial etiology, it is difficult to disassociate their influence and to pin point towards the contribution of any one factor. But the results suggest that there is more than what meets the eye. Higher incidence in males and absence of family history point towards a cause not found in genes or at home, but something present in the workplace environment, where men form the major part of workforce.

Study of risk factors and liver function markers in gallstone patients in Iraqi Kurdish Women

“…Fifty-five out of 81 patients (55.56%) had a family history of gallstone disease, similar results were found by others [17,24,33] that confirmed the occurrence of cholelithiasis associated with a family history of gallstone disease. Disagreement with several previous studies reported that biliary stones are associated without a family history of gallstones in various populations [4,34,35] . Some studies suggested that genetics has a significant role in the development of gallstones, where increased frequency of gallstones in the first degree of relatives is a risk factor [25] .…”

Cholecystectomy among Patients Admitted to the Department of Surgery in a Tertiary Care Centre: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study

“… 4 The prevalence of cholelithiasis differs not p>only between countries but also among different ethnic groups, age groups, and genders, differences in dietary and lifestyle patterns with a preference for junk food and sedentary lifestyles, and the incidence of gallstones is rising globally. 4 , 5 …”

“…4 The prevalence of cholelithiasis differs not only between countries but also among different ethnic groups, age groups, and genders, differences in dietary and lifestyle patterns with a preference for junk food and sedentary lifestyles, and the incidence of gallstones is rising globally. 4,5 Since there are very few studies conducted in Nepal regarding the prevalence of cholecystectomy among the patients admitted to the Department of Surgery, this article will be helpful in finding out the data. Hence, the aim of this study was to find out the prevalence of cholecystectomy among patients admitted to the Department of Surgery in a tertiary care centre.…”