title: Metabolic syndrome as a risk factor for gallstone disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish an association between the presence of metabolic syndrome and the development of gallstone disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  We carried out a cross-sectional study in a check-up unit in a university hospital in Mexico City. We enrolled 245 subjects, comprising 65 subjects with gallstones (36 women, 29 men) and 180 controls (79 women and 101 men without gallstones). Body mass index, waist circumference, blood pressure, plasma insulin, and serum lipids and lipoproteins levels were measured. Insulin resistance was calculated by homeostasis model assessment. Unconditional logistic regression analysis (univariate and multivariate) was used to calculate the risk of gallstone disease associated with the presence of at least three of the criteria (Adult Treatment Panel III). Analyses were adjusted for age and sex.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 245 subjects, metabolic syndrome was present in 40% of gallstone disease subjects, compared with 17.2% of the controls, adjusted by age and gender (odds ratio (OR) = 2.79; 95%CI, 1.46-5.33; P = 0.002), a dose-dependent effect was observed with each component of metabolic syndrome (OR = 2.36, 95%CI, 0.72-7.71; P = 0.16 with one component and OR = 5.54, 95%CI, 1.35-22.74; P = 0.02 with four components of metabolic syndrome). Homeostasis model assessment was significantly associated with gallstone disease (adjusted OR = 2.25; 95%CI, 1.08-4.69; P = 0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that as for cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus, gallstone disease appears to be strongly associated with metabolic syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Research, Medica Sur Clinic and Foundation, Puente de Piedra 150, Col. Toriello Guerra, Mexico City, Mexico. nmendez@medicasur.org.mx
authors.forename: Nahum
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Méndez-Sánchez
authors.forename: Norberto C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Chavez-Tapia
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Motola-Kuba
authors.forename: Karla
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sanchez-Lara
authors.forename: Guadalupe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ponciano-Rodríguez
authors.forename: Héctor
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Baptista
authors.forename: Martha H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: Misael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uribe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D042882:Gallstones / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors