title: Is the Prevalence of Gallbladder Polyp Different between Vegetarians and General Population?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Gallbladder polyps (GBP) are a common clinical finding that can express malignant potential. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether vegetarianism protects against GBP, together with other putative risk factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted with subjects who received a health check-up from July 2005 to December 2011. Korean Buddhist priests, who are obligatory vegetarians by religious belief, were identified as vegetarians (vegetarian group) and compared with a non-vegetarian control group sampled from those coming for health check-ups at the same institution.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 18,483 subjects, GBP were found in 810 (4.4%). Al though GBP tended to be less common in the vegetarian group (23 [3.5%] out of 666) than in control group (787 [4.4%] out of 17,817), the difference was insignificant statistically (p=0.233). By logistic regression, old age (OR=1.61, 95% CI=1.1 9-2.26 for 30-39 years; OR=1.47, 95% CI=1.08-1.98 for 40-49 years), male gender (OR=1.51, 95% CI=1.31-1.75), high BMI (OR=1.18, 95% CI=1.00-1.39 for ≥ 23.0 kg/m(2) and < 25.0 kg/m(2) ) and HBsAg positivity (OR=1.53, 95% CI=1.19-1.98) were independent risk factors of GBP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GBP was significantly associated with old age, male gender , high BMI and HBsAg positivity, but not with vegetarianism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Dongguk University Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Hee Bum
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Jo
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Dongguk University Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Jun Kyu
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Dongguk University Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Min Young
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Surgery, Dongguk University Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: In Woong
authors.initials: IW
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Dongguk University Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Han Seok
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Dongguk University Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyoun Woo
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Dongguk University Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Hak
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Dongguk University Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Yun Jeong
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Dongguk University Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Moon Soo
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Dongguk University Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Jin Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005705:Gallbladder Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011127:Polyps / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D000066988:Vegetarians
keywords: Gallbladder polyp; Metabolic syndrome; Risk factors; Vegetarian diet