GALLSTONES IN DIABETES-MELLITUS - PREVALENCE AND RISK-FACTORS

Objective: To identify the prevalence and risk factors for gallstone disease in both insulin-dependent and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus compared with controls. Design: A prospective blinded, ultrasonographic study of a diabetic population with age- and sex-matched controls. Setting: Hospital-based. Patients: Randomly selected patients attending hospital out-patient clinics; controls recruited consecutively, within the constraints of matching for age and sex. Intervention: None. Main outcome measures: Prevalence of gallstone disease in patient and control population. Risk factors for gallstone disease in diabetic patients including anthropomorphic and biochemical data. Results: The prevalence of gallstone disease was only increased in diabetic patients compared with controls in the seventh decade (41% versus 17%). Independent risk factors were female gender, age, body mass index and plasma apolipoprotein A levels. Conclusions: The risk of gallstone disease in diabetes mellitus is only increased in the elderly. The type of diabetes, quality of control and duration were not independent risk factors.