Gallstones in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
OBJECTIVE
We performed abdominal ultrasonography (US) on patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to investigate the frequency and characteristics of gallstones (GS).


METHODS
Patients with RA (n = 224; 42 male and 182 female) underwent abdominal US.


RESULTS
The incidence of GS (including post-chorecystectomy patients) was significantly higher in female patients with RA (15.4%) than in female controls (5.2%, p < 0.01). There was no significant difference in GS incidence between male patients with RA (9.5%) and male controls (3.8%). The percentage of cholesterol stones was 100% in patients with RA with GS but only 66.7% in controls with GS (p < 0.01). Compared to patients with RA without GS, patients with RA with GS were older and had lower C-reactive protein levels, a decreased creatinine clearance and urinary calcium excretion, and an increased incidence of hypercholesterolemia.


CONCLUSIONS
We observed a high incidence of GS in female patients with RA. With our previous observation of a high incidence of renal stones in patients with RA, these results suggest the importance of US as a diagnostic tool in the management of RA.
Ito
S
S
Department of Medicine, Rheumatic Center of Niigata Prefectural Senami Hospital, Onuki Medical Clinic, Japan.
Hasegawa
H
H
Nozawa
S
S
Ishikawa
H
H
Tohyama
C
C
Nakazono
K
K
Murasawa
A
A
Nakano
M
M
Onuki
K
K
Arakawa
M
M
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery; D001629:Bezafibrate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002994:Clofibrate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003401:Creatine / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy; D006801:Humans; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015994:Incidence; D007669:Kidney Calculi / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008657:Metabolic Clearance Rate; D008875:Middle Aged; D014463:Ultrasonography
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D002994:Clofibrate; D003401:Creatine; D001629:Bezafibrate