Gallstone disease in a rural Bangladeshi community.
BACKGROUND
The prevalence of gallstone disease (GSD) in Bangladesh is not known. We evaluated the prevalence of GSD and its relation with certain factors in a rural community in Bangladesh.


METHODS
A total of 1332 persons aged 15 years and above from two villages were invited to participate in the study; 1,058 (80%) subjects responded after three invitations. Each subject answered a questionnaire, including demographic features, and underwent an upper abdominal ultrasound examination.


RESULTS
GSD (current cholelithiasis and history of cholecystectomy) was detected in 5.4% of subjects. The prevalence was higher in women (7.7%) than in men (3.3%; p=0.002) The prevalence rates increased from 0.9% to 10% (p=0.0124) from those aged <30 years to those >50 years. A larger proportion of obese subjects (25/52; 48.1%) had GSD than non-obese subjects (32/1006; 3.2%). Prevalence in low, middle and high socio-economic classes was 1.5%, 5.7% and 13.4%, respectively (p=0.000). A majority (71.9%) of subjects with GSD were asymptomatic.


CONCLUSIONS
Approximately 5% of the Bangladeshi rural community evaluated have GSD. Higher age, female gender, presence of obesity and higher socio-economic class were associated with higher prevalence of GSD.
Dhar
S C
SC
Department of Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases, Dhaka Medical College.
Ansari
S
S
Saha
M
M
Ahmad
M M
MM
Rahman
M T
MT
Hasan
M
M
Khan
A K
AK
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011336:Probability; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population; D017678:Sex Distribution