Gallstone Disease Increases the Risk of Kidney Stone Disease: A Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Cohort Study

Gallstone disease (GSD) and kidney stone disease (KSD) may share metabolic pathways, however their association remains unclear. This study aimed to explore their relationship using cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses.

The cross-sectional analysis included 121,550 participants in the Taiwan Biobank, and the association between self-reported GSD and KSD was examined using logistic regression. The longitudinal analysis included 25,208 participants without prior KSD, and the risk of incident KSD was assessed using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazards models, adjusting for demographics, metabolic factors, lifestyle factors, and laboratory data.

In the cross-sectional cohort, the prevalence of KSD was higher in the participants with GSD (11% vs. 6%, p < 0.001). In adjusted analysis, GSD was associated with a 51% increased risk of KSD (odds ratio: 1.51, 95% CI: 1.38-1.65, p < 0.001). In the longitudinal analysis, the participants with GSD had a higher incidence of KSD (5% vs. 2%, p < 0.001), with an adjusted hazard ratio of 1.80 (95% CI: 1.36-2.38, p < 0.001). Subgroup analyses showed a significant interaction by sex but not by age, indicating a stronger association in women.

Our results showed that GSD was an independent risk factor for KSD, suggesting shared metabolic mechanisms. Future studies should explore preventive strategies targeting the pathways underlying these mechanisms.