Prevalence, risk factors and cholecystectomy rates in gallstone disease. Results from a population survey in Germany

Study Objective: The prevalence of gallstone disease, time trends in the fr equency of cholecystectomies and risk factors for the occurrence of choleli thiasis were examined in a cross-sectional population study. Methods: The survey was based on a random sample from the populations of 4 regions in Germany, stratified by region, age and sex, information on the f requency of gallstone disease and on potential risk factors were collected by standardized interviews. For the statistical analysis, multiple logistic regression was used. Results: Overall, 1,085 persons were interviewed. The age-standardized prev alence of known gallstones was 4.2% for men and 14.5% for women. The freque ncy of cholecystectomy almost tripled in women from 1985 to 1994 as compare d to 1975 to 198ri despite a decreasing trend in gallstone diagnoses in the same time period. No such trend was apparent in men. In men, age, body wei ght, changes in body weight, diabetes and use of corticosteroids were ident ified as risk factors for gallstone disease. ln women, gallstone disease wa s also associated with body weight, changes in body weight and age, and in addition, the number of births. An inverse association with gallstone disea se was found for use of oral contraceptives and level ofeducationln women.