EPIDEMIOLOGY OF GALLBLADDER POLYPS - AN ULTRASONOGRAPHIC STUDY OF MALE SELF-DEFENSE OFFICIALS IN JAPAN

The prevalence and risk factors of gallbladder polyps diagnosed by ult rasonography were investigated in 2739 male self-defense officials who received a retirement health examination at the Self-Defense Forces F ukuoka Hospital, Japan, between October 1986 and December 1990. Exclud ing 38 men whose gallbladder had been removed previously, 143 men were found to have gallbladder polyps. The overall prevalence of gallbladd er polyps was 5.3%. The relation between gallbladder polyps and smokin g, alcohol use, body mass index, glucose tolerance, and serum lipids w as examined in 137 men with stoneless polyps and 2495 normal subjects. Whereas smoking tended to be inversely associated with gallbladder po lyps, none of the other lifestyle and clinical variables were related to this condition. Thus the reported risk factors of gallstones had no relation to gallbladder polyps.