title: Prevalence of cholelithiasis in patients subjected to liver transplantation for cirrhosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The prevalence of cholelithiasis in patients subjected to liver transplantation has not been evaluated yet. This study examines the prevalence of cholelithiasis in patients subjected to liver transplantation due to cirrhosis compared to an age- and sex-matched control group.
  
  
  METHODS
  The electronic study protocols of 400 consecutive cirrhotic patients aged between 20 and 69 years who had undergone liver transplantation for cirrhosis were evaluated to determine the presence of gallstones.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall prevalence of cholelithiasis was higher in transplant recipients (96 patients; 24%) than in controls (38 patients; 9.5%) (p<0.001). There was no increase in the prevalence of cholelithiasis with age in the transplant recipients (p=0.332). Conversely, the prevalence of cholelithiasis increased with age in the control group (p<0.001). There was no difference in the gallstone prevalence between sexes in the transplant recipient group (p=0.102). However, the gallstone prevalence was 2.2 times higher in females (14.8%) than in males (6.8%) in the control group (p=0.009).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prevalence of cholelithiasis is higher in patients subjected to liver transplantation for cirrhosis. In contrast with the general population, the prevalence of cholelithiasis in cirrhotic patients is similar in both sexes and does not increase with age.
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Parana, Curitiba, Brazil. coelhojcu@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Julio Cu
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Coelho
authors.forename: Julio
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Slongo
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dambroski Silva
authors.forename: Leonardo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dudeque Andriguetto
authors.forename: Eduardo Jb
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: Marco Ar
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: da Costa
authors.forename: Jorge Ef
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Matias
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055815:Young Adult