GALLSTONE PREVALENCE IN RELATION TO SMOKING, ALCOHOL, COFFEE CONSUMPTION, AND NUTRITION - THE ULM GALLSTONE STUDY

Background: Besides considering well-known risk factors for the develo pment of gallbladder stones, such as age, sex, fecundity, and heredita ry predisposition, efforts at prevention have focused increasingly on other factors, such as nicotine, alcohol, and caffeine consumption, as well as general nutrition, which may be modified. Methods: A total of 1116 blood donors were examined between April 1994 and February 1995 in the central blood bank of the German Red Cross in Ulm, Germany. Eac h subject received a questionnaire and underwent to an upper abdominal ultrasound examination. Results: Gallbladder stone disease (current c holecystolithiasis and history of cholecystectomy) was detected in 5.8 % of the men and 6.3% of the women. Neither regularity nor number of d aily meals correlated with the frequency of gallstone disease. Vegetar ians (n = 48), as a group, were not found to have gallstones. In relat ion to the consumption of alcohol, tobacco, or caffeine, a slightly hi gher prevalence of cholecystolithiasis was found only in heavy drinker s of coffee (P = 0.051; odds ratio (OR), 1.083; 95% confidence interva l (CI), 0.999, 1.174). Conclusion: Results of the present study do not show a definite relationship between nutritional factors and the cons umption of alcohol, tobacco, or caffeine and an increased prevalence o f gallbladder stone disease.