Prevalence rates of gallstone disease in Italy

Abstract

The prevalence of gallstone disease and associated factors in the entire population of subjects aged 15-65 years born and resident in Chianciano Terme (Siena - Tuscany) was examined in the years 1985 and 1986. The investigation included gallbladder ultrasonography, administration of a questionnaire on personal and family history, physical examination and blood chemistry. A total of 1809 subjects (attendance rate 87.7%) participated in the study. Personal history and physical examination showed that Chianciano inhabitants have a low prevalence of obesity (4.3%) and only 4.4% of the female population had more than two pregnancies. Overall prevalence of gallstone disease (cholecystectomy+cholelithiasis) was 5.9% (3.7% for males and 8.4% for females). Age standardized relative risk of gallstone disease for females was 2.25 (95% confidence limits = 1.68-2.68). Prevalence of cholelithiasis was 3.5% (2.7% for males and 4.2% for females). Prevalence of gallstone disease increased with increasing age in both sexes, being extremely low in the age interval of 15-29 years (0.25%). The overall gallstones/cholecystectomy ratio was found to be lower (1:1) in females than in males (2.7:1). Although subjects with gallstones reported more frequently biliary colics and non-specific dyspeptic symptoms, the diagnostic power of all symptoms in identifying cholelithiasis was very poor due to low sensitivity. Only one third of subjects with gallstones was aware of having the disease. Age, obesity and number of pregnancies were positively associated with gallstone disease in univariate analyses. The association with obesity and parity disappeared in multivariate analysis. Blood lipids and glucose were not associated with the disease both in univariate and multivariate analyses.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Promotional effect of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease on Gallstone disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis

“…Epidemiological data have revealed that in the general population, the overall prevalence range of gallstones is 3.29%-14.85% (10)(11)(12)(13), and the overall prevalence range of NAFLD is 14%-40%. The pooled prevalence of GD in the NAFLD group in the present meta-analysis was 17%, which is higher than in the general population.…”

“…The overall prevalence of gallstones is approximately 3.29%-14.85% in the general population (10)(11)(12)(13). Increased age, female sex, obesity, metabolic syndrome, hypertriglyceridemia, diabetes and insulin resistance are major risk factors for gallstones (10,14).…”

The association between thyroid function and gallstone disease

“…The sonographers were unaware of the participant's clinical and laboratory characteristics. Gallstones were present if the gallbladder contained echoes that moved with gravity except when the stones were large, a septum existed in the gallbladder or there was an enclosed infundibulum [12] . Cholelithiasis was defined as previous history of cholecystectomy or current, sonographically diagnosed gallstones.…”

Cholesterol gallstone formation in overweight mice establishes that obesity per se is not linked directly to cholelithiasis risk

“…Furthermore, because obese individuals are more likely than normal weight individuals to acquire cholelithiasis (6,7), obesity is generally recognized as a major ChGS risk factor (3)(4)(5)(6)(7). Nonetheless, close association clinically and pathophysiologically between the two diseases is often inconsistent (3,8,9). For example, two important indicators of cholelithiasis risk, the cholesterol saturation index (CSI) of gallbladder bile and the speed and completeness of gallbladder emptying, display considerable intersubject variation among obese patients (10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15).…”