Prevalence of biliary lithiasis in a Sicilian population of hemodialysis patients

Studies performed to date on the prevalence of biliary lithiasis (BL) in ch ronic renal failure patients on hemodialysis. (HD) have given contradictory results. The aims of the present study were to evaluate the prevalence of BL and its main associated risk factors in a population of hemodialysis pat ients, and to compare the results with those we had obtained previously in an overt population of the same zone. The study included 171 patients (83 M , 88 F), mean age 62.5 years and mean duration of dialysis 66.7 months. The screening protocol also included body mass index (BMI), a number of bioche mical parameters and an ultrasound scan of the gallbladder and biliary trac t. The general prevalence of BL was 33.3% (30.1% in men and 36.4% in women) , and this figure was significantly higher than that found in our previous study. Prevalence increased with age in both sexes (Mantel-Haenszel Chi-squ ared = 5.4, p < 0.03), but not with duration of dialysis. The main risk fac tors, evaluated with multiple logisstic regression, were the presence of di abetes mellitus and high serum phosphorus levels. Specific symptoms were al so significantly associated in BL patients. No association was found with p arity, BMI or serum lipid alterations. In conclusion, the prevalence of BL in a Sicilian population of HD patients was higher than that found in an ov ert population of the same area and the associated main risk factors were n ot coincident. Further studies are needed to establish the role played by t he phase of end-stage renal disease before HD and to correct the metabolic disturbances to limit a high percentage of morbidity in a disease already i n itself sufficiently disabling.