Association between metabolic syndrome and incidence of cholelithiasis in the Korean population

Cholelithiasis is one of the most common gastrointestinal diseases worldwide. The metabolic syndrome (MetS), a combination of various metabolic abnormalities, is also common with a continually increasing prevalence. These diseases are associated with several risk factors. However, data on the association between MetS components and cholelithiasis are insufficient. This study aimed to analyze the association of MetS and its components with the incidence of cholelithiasis using national data from the Korean population.

Data were obtained from the National Health Insurance Corporation of Korea, and 207 850 individuals without cholelithiasis in 2009 were enrolled and followed up until 2013. A multivariate Cox proportional hazard model was used to calculate the adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the incidence of cholelithiasis according to the presence of MetS and the number of MetS components. Furthermore, the risk of cholelithiasis was evaluated in individuals with a single metabolic component.

The multivariate adjusted HRs and 95% CIs for incident cholelithiasis according to 1, 2, 3, and 4-5 MetS components were 1.08 (0.93-1.24), 1.22 (1.06-1.41), 1.35 (1.17-1.57), and 1.35 (1.15-1.57), respectively (P < 0.001). This increasing trend was observed in both sexes. Compared with participants with no metabolic components, those with low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol had a significantly increased risk for cholelithiasis (adjusted HR, 1.39 [95% CI, 1.05-1.85]).

Metabolic syndrome is a potential risk factor for cholelithiasis. Low HDL cholesterol level is the most relevant factor among MetS components for incident cholelithiasis.