Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with gallstones: Epidemiological survey in China.
OBJECTIVE
To elucidate the prevalence and risk factors for gallstones, primarily focusing on Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection.


METHODS
A total of 10016 Chinese subjects, who had undergone physical examination, fasting (13)C urea breath test and abdominal ultrasonography, had sufficient blood test data, and had finished a questionnaire, were included in this cross-sectional study. Participants (n = 1122) who had previous eradication of H. pylori were studied separately.


RESULTS
Gallstones were discovered in 9.10% of men and 8.58% of women, with no significant sex difference. Multivariate analyses displayed that age, aspartate aminotransferase, total cholesterol, H. pylori infection, hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, and fatty liver had a significant association with gallstones (P < 0.05). Successive multiple logistic regression analysis including index of odds ratio (OR) and standardized coefficient (β) indicated that older age (OR/β = 1.056/0.055), H. pylori infection (OR/β = 1.454/0.109), HCV infection (OR/β = 1.871/0.123), and fatty liver (OR/β = 1.947/0.189) had a significant positive association with gallstones. After age stratification, H. pylori infection and fatty liver still had a significant positive association with gallstones in any age-specific groups, whereas HCV infection had a significant positive association in patients aged > 40 years. The prevalence of gallstones among H. pylori-positive, H. pylori-eradicated, and H. pylori-negative subjects was 9.47%, 9.02%, and 8.46%, respectively. The matched analysis showed that gallstones among H. pylori eradicated subjects was significantly lower compared with H. pylori-positive subjects (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
H. pylori infection and fatty liver have a significant positive association with gallstones. H. pylori eradication may lead to prevention of gallstones.
Fen-Ming Zhang, Chao-Hui Yu, Hong-Tan Chen, Zhe Shen, Feng-Ling Hu, Guo-Qiang Xu, Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, China.
Fen-Ming
FM
Zhang
Fen-Ming Zhang, Chao-Hui Yu, Hong-Tan Chen, Zhe Shen, Feng-Ling Hu, Guo-Qiang Xu, Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, China.
Chao-Hui
CH
Yu
Fen-Ming Zhang, Chao-Hui Yu, Hong-Tan Chen, Zhe Shen, Feng-Ling Hu, Guo-Qiang Xu, Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, China.
Hong-Tan
HT
Chen
Fen-Ming Zhang, Chao-Hui Yu, Hong-Tan Chen, Zhe Shen, Feng-Ling Hu, Guo-Qiang Xu, Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, China.
Zhe
Z
Shen
Fen-Ming Zhang, Chao-Hui Yu, Hong-Tan Chen, Zhe Shen, Feng-Ling Hu, Guo-Qiang Xu, Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, China.
Feng-Ling
FL
Hu
Fen-Ming Zhang, Chao-Hui Yu, Hong-Tan Chen, Zhe Shen, Feng-Ling Hu, Guo-Qiang Xu, Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, China.
Xiao-Ping
XP
Yuan
Fen-Ming Zhang, Chao-Hui Yu, Hong-Tan Chen, Zhe Shen, Feng-Ling Hu, Guo-Qiang Xu, Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, China.
Guo-Qiang
GQ
Xu
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D042882:Gallstones / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
Cross-sectional study; Gallstones; Helicobacter pylori