title: The number of metabolic abnormalities associated with the risk of gallstones in a non-diabetic population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate whether metabolic syndrome is associated with gallstones, independent of hepatitis C infection or chronic kidney disease (CKD), in a non-diabetic population.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 8,188 Chinese adult participants that underwent a self-motivated health examination were recruited into the final analysis after excluding the subjects who had a history of cholecystectomy, diabetes mellitus, or were currently using antihypertensive or lipid-lowering agents. Gallstones were defined by the presence of strong intraluminal echoes that were gravity-dependent or that attenuated ultrasound transmission.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 447 subjects (5.5%) had gallstones, with 239 (5.1%) men and 208 (6.0%) women. After adjusting for age, gender, obesity, education level, and lifestyle factors, included current smoking, alcohol drinking, regular exercise, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and CKD, there was a positive association between metabolic syndrome and gallstones. Moreover, as compared to subjects without metabolic abnormalities, subjects with one, two, and three or more suffered from a 35, 40, and 59% higher risk of gallstones, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Non-diabetic subjects with metabolic syndrome had a higher risk of gallstones independent of hepatitis C or CKD, and a dose-dependent effect of metabolic abnormalities also exists.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Tainan Municipal An-Nan Hospital-China Medical University, Tainan City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chung-Hung
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jin-Shang
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yin-Fan
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Feng-Hwa
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yi-Ching
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chih-Jen
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D042882:Gallstones / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D051436:Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult