CHOLELITHIASIS IN YOUNG SAUDI WOMEN

We studied some of the factors associated with gallstones in a sub pop ulation of Saudi women who presented with cholelithiasis at a rather y oung age, 17 - 30 years. We determined the weight, height, ideal weigh t, overweight, Quetelet index, ideal Quetelet index, and parity in 152 such women designated the study group and in another aged matched gro up of 152 women without biliary disease designated the, control group. Although the mean weights of both groups were greater than ideal, the mean weight, level of overweight, and mean Quetelet index in the stud y group were greater than those of the controls at virtually all age g roups (p > 0.001). In the study group, comparison of the 17 - 25 year olds with the 26 - 30 year olds showed close similarity in weight, Q i ndex, and level of overweight (p = 0.50), There was no significant dif ference in parity between the study group and the controls. We conclud e that obesity is a significant factor in the development of cholelith iasis in Saudi women who develop symptomatic gallstones in the age gro up 17 - 30 years.