Gallbladder Disease in Pima Indians

Abstract

An American Indian population was investigated to determine the true prevalence of gallbladder disease, to examine its relation to suggested etiologic factors and to identify high-risk persons. From an age–sexstratified random sample of 596 Pima Indians 15 to 74 years of age. subjects with clinically documented gallbladder disease were identified by review of medical records. An attempt was then made to examine the remainder of the sample by cholecystography. The overall prevalence of gallbladder disease was 48.6 per cent, which greatly exceeded that based on clinical diagnosis alone. The prevalence was significantly higher in females and increased with age in both sexes. No association was demonstrated between gallbladder disease and obesity, serum cholesterol level, diabetes or parity. Pima females 15 to 20 years of age were shown to be at high risk of early development of gallbladder disease and to offer unusual opportunities for further epidemiologic and clinical studies.