title: Epidemiology of gallstones.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Laura M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Stinton
authors.forename: Robert P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Myers
authors.forename: Eldon A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Shaffer
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D042882:Gallstones / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution