Risk factors for gallstone disease in patients with gallstones having gallstone heredity. A case-control study

Cholesterol gallstone disease is a common disease, which is the result of the interaction between genetic and environmental factors. We aimed to study the gallstone risk factors in patients with gallstone heredity.

Plasma levels of HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, cholesterol and glycaemia were assessed in 109 patients with gallstones having at least one affected sibling (females/males = 95/14, age 54.36 +/- 11.22 yrs, BMI 29.06 +/- 5.36 kg/m2) and in 271 controls without gallstones (females/males = 248/23, age 52.82 +/- 10.94 yrs, BMI 26.00 +/- 4.63 kg/m2). Student's t test, Mann-Whitney test and chi square test were used to compare BMI, plasma lipid levels, prevalence of diabetes mellitus and pregnancies.

Patients with gallstone disease had higher BMI (p = 0.0000005) as compared to controls. Plasma triglyceride levels were significantly higher and serum HDL-cholesterol levels significantly lower in patients than in controls (p = 0.00001, respectively, p = 0.0002). Basal glycaemia was also significantly higher in patients than in controls (p = 0.00006). The prevalence of diabetes mellitus was significantly higher in cases than in controls (p = 0.00001). In univariate logistic regression analysis, BMI, triglycerides, low HDL-cholesterol, increased glycaemia and diabetes mellitus were significantly associated with gallstone disease, but in multiple logistic regression analysis, only BMI had a significant effect.

The main risk factor for gallstone disease in cases with known heredity of gallstone disease is BMI.