Epidemiology of gallstones.
Gallstones are common with prevalences as high as 60% to 70% in American Indians and 10% to 15% in white adults of developed countries. Ethnic differences abound with a reduced frequency in black Americans and those from East Asia, while being rare in sub-Saharan Africa. Certain risk factors for gallstones are immutable: female gender, increasing age, and ethnicity/family (genetic traits). Others are modifiable: obesity, the metabolic syndrome, rapid weight loss, certain diseases (cirrhosis and Crohn disease), gallbladder stasis (from spinal cord injury or drugs, such as somatostatin), and lifestyle.
Stinton
Laura M
LM
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Myers
Robert P
RP
Shaffer
Eldon A
EA
D017677:Age Distribution; D042882:Gallstones / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution