Insulin resistance as a risk factor for gallbladder stone formation in Korean postmenopausal women.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to determine whether insulin resistance is associated with gallbladder stone formation in Korean women based on menopausal status.


METHODS
The study included 4,125 consecutive Korean subjects (30-79 years of age). Subjects who had a medical history of diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, other cardiovascular disorders, or hormone replacement therapy were excluded. The women were subdivided into two groups according to their menopausal status.


RESULTS
Analysis of premenopausal women showed no significant differences in the homeostasis model of assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index between the two groups in terms of gallstone disease. The associations between the occurrence of gallbladder stones and age, obesity, abdominal obesity, hyperinsulinemia, and high HOMA-IR index were statistically significant in the analysis with postmenopausal women. In a multiple logistic regression analysis, low high density lipoprotein-cholesterol was an independent predictor of gallbladder stone formation in premenopausal women. However, the multiple logistic regression analysis also showed that age and HOMA-IR were significantly associated with gallbladder stone formation in postmenopausal women. In an additional analysis stratified by obesity, insulin resistance was a significant risk factor for gallbladder stone formation only in the abdominally obese premenopausal group.


CONCLUSIONS
Insulin resistance may be associated with gallbladder stone formation in Korean postmenopausal women with abdominal obesity.
Department of Internal Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
Sang Soo
SS
Kim
Jeong Gyu
JG
Lee
Dong Wok
DW
Kim
Bo Hyun
BH
Kim
Yun Kyung
YK
Jeon
Mi Ra
MR
Kim
Jeong Eun
JE
Huh
Ji Young
JY
Mok
Seong-Jang
SJ
Kim
Yong Ki
YK
Kim
In Joo
IJ
Kim
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D042882:Gallstones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000208:ethnology*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D056128:Obesity, Abdominal / Q000208:ethnology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000208:ethnology*; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014463:Ultrasonography