Clinical correlation of gallstone disease in a Chinese population in Taiwan: experience at Cheng Hsin General Hospital.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the prevalence of gallstone disease (GSD) in Taiwan and condition-associated factors related to it.


METHODS
We studied a total of 2386 healthy adults (1235 males and 1151 females) voluntarily admitted to Cheng Hsin General Hospital for a paid physical check-up between January 2002 and December 2002. Blood samples and ultrasound sonography results were collected.


RESULTS
The overall prevalence of GSD among this study-population was 5.3%, including 1.7% (n=40) having a single stone, 2.3% (n=55) having multiple stones, and 1.3% (n=31) having cholecystectomy. The prevalence revealed a statistically significant increase with increasing age (P<0.0001). Females exhibited a greater prevalence of multiple stones than did males (3.0% vs 1.7%, P=0.04). Using multiple logistic regression analysis, the following appeared to be significantly related to the prevalence of GSD: older age (40-49 years vs < 40 years, OR=1.63 [95% CI: 0.76-3.48], 50-59 years vs < 40 years, OR=4.93 [95% CI: 2.43-9.99], 60-69 years vs < 40 years, OR=6.82 [95% CI: 3.19-14.60], > or = 70 years vs < 40 years, OR=10.65 [95% CI: 4.78-23.73]), higher BMI (> or = 27 kg/m2 vs < 24 kg/m2, adjusted OR=1.74 [95% CI: 1.04-2.88]), and higher FPG (> or = 126 mg/dL vs < 110 mg/dL, OR=1.71, 95%CI: 1.01-2.96).


CONCLUSIONS
Older age (> or = 50 years), obesity (BMI > or = 27 kg/m2), and type 2 diabetes (FPG > or = 126 mg/dL) are associated with the prevalence of GSD.
Liu
Chi-Ming
CM
Community Medicine Research Center & Institute of Public Health, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, China.
Tung
Tao-Hsin
TH
Chou
Pesus
P
Chen
Victor Tze-Kai
VT
Hsu
Chung-Te
CT
Chien
Wu-Shyong
WS
Lin
Yeu-Tyng
YT
Lu
Hsu-Feng
HF
Shih
Hui-Chuan
HC
Liu
Jorn-Hon
JH
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D042882:Gallstones / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D006769:Hospitals, General / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology