Impaired glucose tolerance, diabetes mellitus, and gallstone disease: An extended study of male self-defense officials in Japan

Few studies have investigated the relation between glucose tolerance status and ultrasonographically determined gallstone disease. Using a 75-g oral g lucose tolerance test, we examined the association of impaired glucose tole rance (IGT) and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) with gallst one disease in Japanese men. Subjects were men aged 48 to 59 of the Japan S elf-Defense Forces who received a preretirement health examination between October 1986 to December 1994. After exclusion of 12 men under insulin trea tment in the consecutive series of 7637 men, 174 were found to have gallsto nes; 103 were at the state of postcholecystectomy, and 6899 had normal gall bladder. IGT and NIDDM were associated with a modestly increased risk of ga llstone disease; adjusted odds ratios were 1.3 (95% confidence interval [CI ]: 0.9-1.8) for IGT and 1.3 (95% CI: 0.8-2.0) for NIDDM after adjustment fo r hospital, rank, smoking, alcohol use, and body mass index. Adjusted odds ratio for IGT and NIDDM combined was 1.3 (95% CI: 1.0-1.7, p = 0.08). When prevalent gallstones and postcholecystectomy were considered separately, NI DDM showed a significant, positive association with postcholecystectomy, bu t not with prevalent gallstones. The findings add to evidence that glucose intolerance is associated with a modest increase in the risk of gallstone d isease.