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PubMed1988

Incidence of cholelithiasis among patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension.

One hundred and two patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension were evaluated sonographically to determine the presence or absence of cholelithiasis. The gallbladder was visualized in 80 of 102 patients. Cholelithiasis was present in 43 of 80 cases (54%). All 22 patients in whom the gallbladder was not seen sonographically had had a previous cholecystectomy. Five of them were operated on prior to development of cirrhosis with portal hypertension, but 14 of the remaining 17 (82%) had evidence of cholelithiasis at pathology. Hence, there was an overall incidence of cholelithiasis of 59% among out 97 patients. This study as well as previous autopsy data indicate an increased incidence of cholelithiasis in patients with cirrhosis, irrespective of etiology or sex. The incidence of cholelithiasis in this study, however, was approximately twice that previously reported in cirrhotics at autopsy. Furthermore, patients with portosystemic shunts showed a significantly higher incidence of cholelithiasis compared to patients who were not shunted (68% vs 49%, p = 0.028). We believe the severity and duration of cirrhosis in our patient population, all with documented portal hypertension, may be the cause of this increased incidence.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

A dietary survey to determine the relationship between diet and cholelithiasis.

A dietary survey was conducted to compare the dietary intakes of people with and without cholelithiasis (gallstones). A 48-hr recall method was used to collect dietary data from 91 cholelithiasis subjects (15 males and 76 females) and 86 control subjects (13 males and 73 females). Although the female cholelithiasis subjects were more overweight than the control subjects, they consumed less energy per day. It was observed that the female cholelithiasis group consumed less protein, fat, carbohydrate, and crude fiber than the female control group. Nutrient intakes per 1000 cal were similar for the female cholelithiasis and control groups. The total weekly intake of crude fiber and the intake of crude fiber specifically from bread and bakery products was significantly less for the female cholelithiasis group than for the female control group. This may indicate that it is a component of whole wheat flour that is low in the diet of subjects with gallstones. The results of this study suggest a possible relationship between cholelithiasis and a low intake of energy, protein, fat or crude fiber, but more than one of these nutrients could be involved. It is evident that further work is needed to study the relationship between diet and gallstone formation.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Prevalence of cholelithiasis according to alcoholic liver disease: a possible role of apolipoproteins AI and AII.

Moderate alcohol intakes decreases the risk of gallstones; in contrast, the prevalence of gallstones is increased in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis. The aims of this prospective study were to assess the prevalence of cholelithiasis among drinkers according to the histological severity of liver disease, and to estimate the importance of serum apolipoproteins AI and apolipoprotein AII as risk factors for gallstones. Among the 320 drinkers included, 53 patients had cholelithiasis. The prevalence increased (p < 0.0001) from 5% in patients with normal liver (1 of 22) and 6% in patients with steatosis only (3 of 47) to 13% in patients with fibrosis (7 of 54), reaching 27% among patients with biopsy-proven cirrhosis (28 of 103). Among patients with clinically obvious cirrhosis on whom biopsy was not performed mainly because of the severity of liver disease, the prevalence of cholelithiasis reached a maximum of 46% (6 of 13). Among drinkers with nonsevere liver disease, patients with cholelithiasis were older (59 +/- 9 years, mean +/- SD vs. 45 +/- 11, p = 0.003) with lower apolipoprotein AI (118 +/- 37 vs. 163 +/- 45 mg/dl; p = 0.002) and apolipoprotein AII (30 +/- 12 vs. 53 +/- 20 mg/dl; p = 0.0002) in comparison with patients without cholelithiasis. These differences persisted after considering by multiple logistic regression analysis, sex, and ideal body weight. Alcohol consumption during the last 5 years was lower in patients with cholelithiasis (83 g/day) in comparison with patients without cholelithiasis (142 g/day; p = 0.04).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed2003

[Atherosclerosis of abdominal aorta and carotid arteries and its correlation with blood serum lipid levels in cholelithiasis].

AIM: To elucidate relationship between cholelithiasis and presence and severity of atherosclerosis in abdominal aorta and carotid arteries. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ultrasound investigation of vessels and abdominal organs, determination of blood serum total, high density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides were carried out in 147 patients with and 167 without (controls) cholelithiasis (mean age 44.2+/-3.1 and 45+/-2.8 years, respectively). RESULTS: Among patients with cholelithiasis 73.2 and 67.6% had atherosclerosis of abdominal aorta and carotid arteries, respectively. This was significantly more than in controls. Compared with controls atherosclerosis of these vessels in all age groups was significantly more pronounced in patients with cholelithiasis. Moreover severity of atherosclerosis was directly related to duration and activity of cholelithiasis. Atherosclerosis of abdominal aorta and carotids was most pronounced in patients with cholelithiasis and concomitant hypertension, ischemic heart disease and obesity. Significant direct correlations were found between blood serum levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides and low density lipoprotein cholesterol and thickness of abdominal aortic wall and carotid artery intima media complex. CONCLUSION: The results evidence for the existence of association between cholelithiasis and presence and severity of atherosclerosis of abdominal aorta and carotid arteries.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Spinal cord injury and cholelithiasis.

BACKGROUND: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is found to be related to increased prevalence of gallstones and acute acalculous cholecystitis. In this study we assessed the prevalence of cholelithiasis in male patients with SCI and the correlation of cholelithiasis with age and weight of patients, level of injury, as well as severity and duration of SCI. METHODS: One hundred male SCI patients (58 patients rated ASIA A or B and 42 rated ASIA C or D) aged more than 20 years (average 46.5 years) suffered from a spinal cord injury for more than one year. One hundred male volunteers served as controls without SCI and biliary diseases(age range 20-68 years; average 42.6 years). The two groups were subjected to ultrasonography of the gallbladder and biliary tract. RESULTS: The prevalence of cholelithiasis in the group of SCI patients and the control group was 26% and 10% respectively. Significant differences in the prevalence of cholelithiasis were found between the normal controls and SCI patients and between high and low-level injury (P<0.01). But the differences were not statistically significant when correlating the presence of cholelithiasis with the age and weight of the patients, the duration of SCI, and the severity of spinal lesion(P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: SCI represents a major risk factor for the development of cholelithiasis,especially in patients with high-level injury. Cholelithiasis in SCI patients is not related to their age and weight, the severity of spinal lesion, and the duration of spinal cord injury.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Cholelithiasis in Down syndrome.

Cholelithiasis in infants, children and adolescents is rare, with a prevalence rate of less than 0.5%. The aim of this study was to determine the association between Down syndrome (DS) and cholelithiasis. We conducted a prospective, controlled study on 51 subjects (age range 11-20 years old) to assess the risk factors of cholelithiasis in children and adolescents with Down syndrome. The subjects recruited in the study consisted of 51 children with Down syndrome and 253 children in the control group. There was no statistical difference in gender and age between the DS and control groups. Gallstone disease was detected in 2 females, aged 17 and 19 years old, respectively. None had cholelithiasis in the control group. The result showed that children with DS had significantly higher prevalence of cholelithiasis (3.92%) compared with controls (0%) (p < 0.01). The overall prevalence of overweight and obesity in DS group was 83%, which was significantly higher than 20% in the control group (p < 0.01). Chromosome anomaly and overweight were two significant risk factors for cholelithiasis. Clinicians should be aware of increased risk of cholelithiasis in children with DS.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Body weight gain as the major risk factor of cholelithiasis in women and an important risk factor in man.

PURPOSE: The power of correlation was assessed between chosen risk factors of cholelithiasis in order to establish the ranking of these factors in Podlasie inhabitants. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study involved 169 patients hospitalized due for cholelithiasis (study group) and 202 patients without cholelithiasis (control group). Previous exposure of patients of both groups to the chosen risk factors of cholelithiasis was evaluated (based on a history questionnaire designed by the authors of the study). Two models of logistic regression were prepared (for men and women) for multivariate analysis. RESULTS: The ranking of the risk factors of cholelithiasis was established by analysing multiple correlation coefficients for the two models of logistic regression and their significance was determined with Wald's test. The significant risk factors for women included: overweight and obesity, age, diabetes, use of contraceptive pills, while for men these were: age, serum triglycerol level, obesity. CONCLUSIONS: The knowledge of risk factors of cholelithiasis in our population is the essence of health promoting actions. Obesity is the major risk factor in women and statistically significant in men. Promotion of appropriate eating habits can result in body mass reduction and may thus indirectly decrease other risk factors of cholelithiasis (incidence of type II diabetes and serum triglycerol level).

Adult↗
PubMed1994

[Vitamin A status in patients with cholelithiasis].

In order to assess the status of vitamin A and determine the frequency of vitamin A deficiency in adults with cholelithiasis, we measured plasma vitamin A levels in 40 healthy subjects and 64 patients with cholelithiasis. Among them, 40 were icteric and the remaining 24 were anicteric. Vitamin A levels were determined in biopsied liver tissues in 26 patients with cholelithiasis. Plasma levels of vitamin A in patients with cholelithiasis was significantly lower than that of healthy subjects (P < 0.05). A significant difference of vitamin A in liver tissue was noted between these two patient groups (P < 0.05). The frequency of vitamin A deficiency, defined as a plasma vitamin a level below 90 micrograms/dl, was 50% (32/64) in cholelithiasis patients, 65% (26/40) in jaundiced patients, and 25% (6/24) in jaundice-free patients. We conclude that biochemical deficiency of vitamin A occurs in patients with cholelithiasis. We suggest that vitamin A should be evaluated in patients with cholelithiasis, and an effective therapy should be initiated to prevent vitamin A deficiency.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Prevalence and incidence of cholelithiasis in patients with liver cirrhosis.

AIMS: To evaluate the prevalence, the incidence and the history of cholelithiasis in liver cirrhosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A series of 233 consecutive cirrhotic patients (193 Child A, 35 Child B and 5 Child C) were assessed for cholelithiasis by ultrasonography. Of these, 201 (those who had never had cholecystectomy) were followed-up with repeated ultrasonographies. RESULTS: The prevalence of cholelithiasis was 38% (22% gallstones and 16% previous cholecystectomies). No relationships with the usual risk factors for cholesterol gallstones, such as age, sex, body mass index, serum glucose or triglycerides, were found. On the contrary, close correlations were observed with serum albumin, bilirubin, prothrombin time and Pugh score. By multivariate analysis, only serum bilirubin was independently correlated with cholelithiasis. Histories of biliary pain were more frequent in patients with previous cholecystectomy (62% cases) than in those with gallstones (21%) and those without cholelithiasis (7%). On the contrary, complaints of dyspepsia were similar in the three groups of patients. During a mean follow-up of 34.4 +/- 0.9 months, there was a 4.9% annual rate of development of new stones in 127 patients without cholelithiasis at the first investigation. This rate is markedly higher than that reported for normal subjects in a previous survey carried out in a similar geographic area. During a mean follow-up of 31.8 +/- 1.2 months, symptoms or complications were seen in 2 out of 45 patients with initial gallstones (4.4%). The annual rate of complications was estimated to be less than 2%. CONCLUSIONS: Cholelithiasis is frequently associated with cirrhosis and the risk of developing new stones remains high during the natural history of the disease.

Bilirubin↗
PubMed2004

Increased risk of cholelithiasis after esophagectomy.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Truncal vagotomy enhances gallstone formation. As esophagectomy involves truncal vagotomy, it was hypothesized that esophagectomy would increase the risk of cholelithiasis. This study was intended to test this hypothesis and to elucidate factors influencing the incidence of cholelithiasis after esophagectomy. METHODS: The study was a retrospective analysis of 136 patients with esophageal carcinoma who had survived for 5 years or longer after esophagectomy. Eight patients (5.9%) had cholelithiasis before esophagectomy. Of the remaining 128 patients, 113 underwent abdominal ultrasonographic examination for cholelithiasis twice a year after esophagectomy; the median follow-up time was 89.5 months (range, 60-117 months). RESULTS: Gallstones developed in 26 (23%) of the 113 patients undergoing regular ultrasonographic examination. The cumulative incidence of cholelithiasis reached a plateau of 34% at 10 years after esophagectomy. Reduction of body mass index after esophagectomy was the strongest independent predictor of gallstone formation after esophagectomy ( P = 0.0001, log-rank test; P = 0.0003, Cox's proportional hazards model). The prevalence of cholelithiasis at 5 years after esophagectomy (18/113; 16%) was significantly higher than that before esophagectomy (8/136; 5.9%; P = 0.012, Fisher's exact test). CONCLUSIONS: Esophagectomy yields an increased risk of the development of cholelithiasis. Truncal vagotomy and postsurgical malnutrition may contribute to this increased gallstone formation after esophagectomy.

Body Mass Index↗
PubMed1997

Incidence and morbidity of cholelithiasis in patients receiving chronic octreotide for metastatic carcinoid and malignant islet cell tumors.

BACKGROUND: Octreotide, a long-acting somatostatin analogue, has demonstrated clinical utility in patients with carcinoid syndrome and malignant islet cell tumors of the pancreas. Prior studies have reported a greater than expected incidence of cholelithiasis in patients treated with octreotide for acromegaly. This study attempted to determine the incidence and morbidity of cholelithiasis in a group of patients with metastatic carcinoid or malignant pancreatic islet cell tumors who were receiving chronic therapy with octreotide. METHODS: Forty-four of 55 patients on investigational protocols with octreotide were eligible for chart review; 10 patients were excluded due to prior cholecystectomy and 1 patient due to asymptomatic cholelithiasis at presentation. Patients fell into three treatment groups. The low dose (LD) group was comprised of 17 patients receiving 150 microg of subcutaneous octreotide 3 times a day. Twenty-one patients received high dose (HD) therapy comprised of 500 microg given 3 times a day. The low dose-high dose (LD-HD) group was comprised of 6 patients who had their dose escalated from 150 microg to 225-500 microg of octreotide 3 times a day. RESULTS: The overall incidence of cholelithiasis and/or gallbladder sludge was found to be 52.3% in all 3 treatment groups. Three of the 44 patients (6.8%) had symptomatic disease requiring emergency cholecystectomy. Five other patients underwent elective or incidental gallbladder surgery. The incidence of cholelithiasis in the LD, LD-HD, and HD groups was 35.3%, 66.6%, and 61.9%, respectively. The incidence of acute cholecystitis in the three groups was 11.8%, 0%, and 4.8%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Although greater than 50% of patients receiving octreotide developed cholelithiasis, a much smaller percentage of patients had symptomatic gallbladder disease. Patients receiving chronic octreotide treatment require monitoring for the development of gallstones. However, prophylactic cholecystectomy is not indicated, unless it is performed in conjunction with bowel resection or cytoreductive hepatic surgery.

Adenoma, Islet Cell↗
PubMed2006

A close relationship between intestinal metaplasia and Cdx2 expression in human gallbladders with cholelithiasis.

We previously reported a case of a human gallbladder with cholelithiasis consisting of intestinal metaplasia with the expression of caudal-related homeobox transcription factor (Cdx2). However, it is unclear how often intestinal metaplasia and Cdx2 expression occur in human, nontumorous gallbladders with cholelithiasis. We studied the incidence of intestinal metaplasia and Cdx2 expression in human gallbladders with cholelithiasis. Gallbladders were resected under laparoscopy from 103 patients with cholelithiasis between September 2003 and March 2005. The mean age of the patients was 59.6 +/- 15.0 years (range, 22-92 years). We retrospectively reviewed these cases to look for the presence of intestinal metaplasia and the expression of Cdx2. In addition, the characteristics of intestinal metaplasia were examined by immunostaining for Muc2, chromogranin A, and serotonin. Intestinal metaplasia was found in 11.7% (12/103) of the gallbladders with cholelithiasis. The mean ages of patients with and without intestinal metaplasia were 60.8 +/- 15.4 and 59.4 +/- 14.9 years, respectively. Cdx2, Muc2, chromogranin A, and serotonin were expressed in 91.7% (11/12), 91.7% (11/12), 83.3% (10/12), and 50.0% (6/12) in intestinal metaplastic mucosa, respectively. Only one case (1.1%) that expressed Cdx2 without intestinal metaplasia did not express Muc2, chromogranin A, and serotonin. We found that 10.7% (11/103) of nontumorous gallbladders resected because of cholelithiasis under laparoscopy revealed intestinal metaplasia with Cdx2 expression.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

[Cholelithiasis in children with sickle cell disease: experience of a French pediatric hospital].

BACKGROUND: Gallstones are frequently encountered in sickle cell disease. Their complications are difficult to distinguish from vaso-occlusive abdominal pain and they can sometimes threaten the patient's life. The aim of this study was to describe our local experience with cholelithiasis in children with sickle cell disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We analyzed the follow-up records and abdominal sonography results of 185 children with sickle cell anemia, aged zero to 18 years, followed up in Trousseau Children's Hospital (Paris) from 1982 to 1998. RESULTS: Cholelithiasis was detected in 26 patients. The youngest patient was five years old. Cholelithiasis was discovered because of clinical manifestations in 12 patients. Asymptomatic cholelithiasis patients developed clinical manifestations in 28% cases in a maximum delay of two and a half years after its diagnosis. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed in nine cases and open cholecystectomy in 17 cases. The mean postoperative length of stay was significantly shorter in the group of patients with laparoscopy in comparison with the group with open cholecystectomy. Histologic analysis of the gallbladders noted 85% of acute or chronic cholecystis. CONCLUSION: We suggest that cholelithiasis should be carefully sought in the presence of abdominal manifestations in sickle cell patients. We recommend that annual abdominal sonography be performed in sickle cell patients as early as seven years of age and elective cholecystectomy be performed on patients with cholelithiasis.

Abdominal Pain↗
PubMed2002

Study of serum calcium and trace elements in chronic cholelithiasis.

BACKGROUND: High biliary calcium and trace elements (copper, zinc and iron) in patients with chronic cholelithiasis can be associated with gallstones. METHODS: Estimations of calcium, copper, zinc and iron were done in the serum, gall bladder bile and gallstones of 48 patients with chronic cholelithiasis and in 20 age- and sex-matched controls. Biliary levels of calcium and trace elements and bile/serum ratio of calcium and trace elements were compared in the two groups. RESULTS: Serum calcium was significantly less (P = 0.009) than controls, but biliary calcium was higher in the patients with chronic cholecystitis. All trace elements were found to be significantly higher (P </= 0.036) in the bile of patients with chronic cholelithiasis. The bile/serum ratio of calcium, copper and zinc was significantly greater (P </= 0.03) in patients of chronic cholelithiasis. Gall bladder bile in patients with chronic cholelithiasis was slightly more alkaline. Pigment stones contained significantly more calcium, copper and iron than cholesterol stones (P </= 0.001). CONCLUSION: Higher biliary calcium and trace elements as well as a defective pH of gall bladder bile in patients with chronic cholelithiasis could be the underlying factor in the pathogenesis of gallstones.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Comparison of quality and cost-effectiveness in the evaluation of symptomatic cholelithiasis with different approaches to ultrasound availability in the ED.

Ultrasound is the imaging study of choice for the detection of gallstones, but ultrasound through medical imaging departments (MI Sono) is not readily available on an immediate basis in many emergency departments (EDs). Several studies have shown that emergency physicians can perform ultrasound themselves (ED Sono) to rule out gallstones with acceptable accuracy after relatively brief training periods, but there have been no studies to date specifically addressing the effect of ED Sono of the gallbladder on quality and cost-effectiveness in the ED. In this study, we investigated measures of quality and cost-effectiveness in evaluating patients with suspected symptomatic cholelithiasis during three different years with distinctly different approaches to ultrasound availability. The study retrospectively identified a total of 418 patients who were admitted for cholecystectomy or for a complication of cholelithiasis within 6 months of an ED visit for possible biliary colic. The percentage of patients who had gallstones documented at the first ED visit improved from 28% in 1993, when there was limited availability of ultrasound through the Medical Imaging Department (MI Sono), to 56% in 1995, when MI Sono was readily available, to 70% in 1997, when both MI Sono and ED Sono were readily available (P <.001). There were also significant differences over the 3 years in the mean number of days from the first ED visit to documentation of gallstones (19.7 in 1993, 10.7 in 1995, 7.4 in 1997, P <.001); the mean number of return visits for possible biliary colic before documentation of gallstones (1.67 in 1993, 1.24 in 1995, and 1.25 in 1997, P <.001); and the incidence of complications of cholelithiasis in the interval between the first ED visit for possible biliary colic and the date of documentation of cholelithiasis (6.8% in 1993, 5.9% in 1995, 1.5% in 1997, P =.049). The number of MI Sonos ordered by emergency physicians per case of symptomatic cholelithiasis identified increased from 1.7 in 1993 to 2.5 in 1995 and dropped back to 1.7 in 1997, when 4.2 ED Sonos per study case were also done. The cost of ED Sonos was more than offset by savings in avoiding calling in ultrasound technicians after regular Medical Imaging Department hours. The indeterminate rate for ED Sonos was 18%. Excluding indeterminates, the sensitivity of ED Sono for detection of gallstones was 88.6% (95% CI 83.1-92.8%), the specificity 98.2% (95% CI 96.0-99.3%), and the accuracy 94.8% (95% CI 92.5-96.5%). We conclude that greater availability of MI Sono in the ED was associated with improved quality in the evaluation of patients with suspected symptomatic cholelithiasis but also with increased ultrasound costs. The availability of ED Sono in addition to readily available MI Sono was associated with further improved quality and decreased costs. The indeterminate rate for ED Sono was relatively high, but excluding indeterminates, the accuracy of ED Sono was comparable with published reports of MI Sono.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Comorbid occurrence of cholelithiasis and gastrointestinal cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To test whether gallstone disease represents a general risk factor for gastrointestinal cancer. METHODS: The comorbid occurrences of cholelithiasis or choledocholithiasis with cancers of the biliary tract, pancreas, small and large intestine were analysed in a population of 3.41 million military veterans who were discharged from VA hospitals distributed throughout the USA between 1981 and 1993. Comorbidity was calculated as the ratio between the observed and expected number of hospitalized veterans with cholelithiasis plus cancer. A 95% confidence interval was calculated based on the Poisson distribution of the observed number of patients with comorbidity. RESULTS: In cholelithiasis, the ratio of comorbid occurrence with biliary cancer was 4.59 (4.06-5.31). In choledocholithiasis, the ratio of comorbid occurrence with biliary cancer was 9.31 (7.20-11.84) and with pancreatic cancer 4.34 (3.80-4.94). These ratios remained significant when the analyses were confined to cholelithiasis or choledocholithiasis documented before the first diagnosis of cancer. The ratios of the comorbid occurrences between cholelithiasis and cancers of the small or large intestine were only significant when total comorbid occurrences were analysed, but vanished in the analysis restricted to cholelithiasis or choledocholithiasis documented before the first diagnosis of cancer. CONCLUSION: The occurrence of gallstones represents a risk factor for pancreaticobiliary cancer, but not cancers involving other parts of the gastrointestinal tract. This association appears particularly strong in patients with choledocholithiasis.

Cholelithiasis↗
PubMed2002

Cholesterol gallstone formation in overweight mice establishes that obesity per se is not linked directly to cholelithiasis risk.

The relationship between obesity and cholesterol cholelithiasis is not well understood at physiologic or genetic levels. To clarify whether obesity per se leads to increased prevalence of cholelithiasis, we examined cholesterol gallstone susceptibility in three polygenic (KK/H1J, NON/LtJ, NOD/LtJ) and five monogenic [carboxypeptidase E (Cpe (fat)), agouti yellow (A(y)), tubby (tub), leptin (Lep(ob)), leptin receptor (Lepr (db))] murine models of obesity during ingestion of a lithogenic diet containing dairy fat, cholesterol, and cholic acid. At 8 weeks on the diet, one strain of polygenic obese mice was resistant whereas the others revealed low or intermediate prevalence rates of cholelithiasis. Monogenic obese mice showed distinct patterns with either high or low gallstone prevalence rates depending upon the mutation. Dysfunction of the leptin axis, as evidenced by the Lep(ob) and the Lepr (db) mutations, markedly reduced gallstone formation in a genetically susceptible background strain, indicating that in mice with this genetic background, physiologic leptin homeostasis is a requisite for cholesterol cholelithogenesis. In contrast, the Cpe (fat) mutation enhanced the prevalence of cholelithiasis markedly when compared with the background strain. Since CPE converts many prohormones to hormones, a deficiency of biologically active cholecystokinin is a likely contributor to enhanced susceptibility to cholelithiasis through compromising gallbladder contractility and small intestinal motility. Because some murine models of obesity increased, whereas others decreased cholesterol gallstone susceptibility, we establish that cholesterol cholelithiasis in mice is not simply a secondary consequence of obesity per se. Rather, specific genes and distinct pathophysiological pathways are responsible for the shared susceptibility to both of these common diseases.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Increased prevalence of cholelithiasis in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm: sonographic evaluation.

We performed a prospective study to determine the prevalence of cholelithiasis in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm. Over an 18-month period, the gallbladder and the abdominal aorta were evaluated routinely in all consecutive patients referred to us for sonography of the abdomen and retroperitoneum. The patients were divided into two groups: those with an abdominal aortic aneurysm (aorta greater than 3 cm in transverse diameter) (n = 96) and those whose aorta measured less than 3 cm in transverse diameter (n = 538), who served as control subjects. Cholelithiasis was found in 50% of patients with and 26% of patients without aneurysm (p less than .0001). A stepwise logistic regression analysis found age alone to be predictive of cholelithiasis (p = .030). However, age was not predictive of cholelithiasis when included with abdominal aortic aneurysm in a multivariate model. Diabetes mellitus and gender were not predictive of cholelithiasis. We found cholelithiasis in approximately half of the patients who had abdominal aortic aneurysms. This is almost double the prevalence in the general elderly population. A pathophysiologic explanation for this observation remains to be found.

Aged↗