Coronary risk factors and clinical gallbladder disease: an approach to the prevention of gallstones?

Abstract

We examined the relationship of "coronary" risk factors to clinical gallbladder disease prevalence in a cross-sectional survey. Persons with hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, or low high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol levels had elevated risks for clinical gallbladder disease. Smokers of 20 pack-years or more and infrequent users of alcohol had increased risks, as did persons with hypertension or diabetes mellitus. After adjusting for age, body mass index, ethnicity, and the coronary variables, relationships persisted for diabetes in women (OR = 1.8) and frequent alcohol use in men (OR = 0.3). The proportion of gallbladder disease related to all coronary risk factors was estimated to be 52 per cent.