Increased incidence of symptomatic cholesterol cholelithiasis in perimenopausal women receiving estrogen replacement therapy: a retrospective study.

Abstract

This study evaluates the possible association between cholesterol cholelithiasis and estrogen replacement therapy in a group of 262 perimenopausal women. A control group closely matched for age of 290 women was also observed. All patients in the first group were under treatment for clinical estrogen deficiency resulting from menopausal or premenopausal ovarian failure. Obesity was found in 70.7% of these gallstone patients which confirms the promoting effect of obesity was on the development of cholesterol gallstones. The evident and significant association found between estrogen use and symptomatic cholesterol cholelithiasis has clinical relevance not only in terms of early diagnosis but in terms of prevention with protective chemotherapy when estrogen replacement is absolutely necessary.