The number of metabolic abnormalities associated with the risk of gallstones in a non-diabetic population

PLoS One. 2014 Mar 5;9(3):e90310. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0090310. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate whether metabolic syndrome is associated with gallstones, independent of hepatitis C infection or chronic kidney disease (CKD), in a non-diabetic population.

Materials and methods: A total of 8,188 Chinese adult participants that underwent a self-motivated health examination were recruited into the final analysis after excluding the subjects who had a history of cholecystectomy, diabetes mellitus, or were currently using antihypertensive or lipid-lowering agents. Gallstones were defined by the presence of strong intraluminal echoes that were gravity-dependent or that attenuated ultrasound transmission.

Results: A total of 447 subjects (5.5%) had gallstones, with 239 (5.1%) men and 208 (6.0%) women. After adjusting for age, gender, obesity, education level, and lifestyle factors, included current smoking, alcohol drinking, regular exercise, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and CKD, there was a positive association between metabolic syndrome and gallstones. Moreover, as compared to subjects without metabolic abnormalities, subjects with one, two, and three or more suffered from a 35, 40, and 59% higher risk of gallstones, respectively.

Conclusions: Non-diabetic subjects with metabolic syndrome had a higher risk of gallstones independent of hepatitis C or CKD, and a dose-dependent effect of metabolic abnormalities also exists.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Female
  • Gallstones / etiology
  • Gallstones / metabolism*
  • Hepatitis B / complications
  • Hepatitis B / metabolism
  • Hepatitis C / complications
  • Hepatitis C / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Metabolic Syndrome / complications*
  • Metabolic Syndrome / metabolism
  • Middle Aged
  • Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / complications
  • Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / metabolism
  • Risk Factors
  • Young Adult

Grants and funding

This study was supported by the grants from the Department of Family Medicine, National Cheng-Kung University Hospital (NCKUHFM-101-002). The authors would like to thank the National Sciene Council, Taiwan, R.O.C. for financially supporting this research. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.