Prevalence and risk factors for gallstone disease: A population-based cross-sectional study

Objective To explore the prevalence of and risk factors for gallstone disease in Shanghai, China. Methods A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Shanghai between 2016 and 2017. Using a three-stage stratified sampling strategy, 4009 participants (1753 men and 2256 women) from 10 districts were enrolled. Results The overall prevalence of gallstones was 6.83% (6.22% for men vs 7.31% for women, P = 0.173). According to the multivariate analysis, individuals aged >= 40 years (odds ratio [OR] 3.058, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.110-4.433, P < 0.001), hypertension (OR 1.479, 95% CI 1.076-2.034, P = 0.016), thyroid disease (OR 1.409, 95% CI 1.029-1.928, P = 0.032), a family history of gallstones (OR 2.234, 95% CI 1.362-3.662, P = 0.001) and a waist-to-height ratio >= 0.5 (OR 1.656, 95% CI 1.197-2.292, P = 0.002) had an increased risk of developing gallstones. The risk of gallstone disease was 2.232 (95% CI 1.167-4.268, P = 0.015) times higher in individuals with elevated C4 levels than in those with normal C4 levels. Diabetes (OR 4.144, 95% CI 1.171-14.671, P = 0.028) was a risk factor for the formation of gallstones with diameters >= 1 cm, and men were more susceptible to develop multiple stones (OR 2.356, 95% CI 1.321-4.200, P = 0.004). Conclusion Individuals aged >= 40 years, with a history of hypertension and familial gallstones, a high waist-to-height ratio, thyroid disease and high C4 levels were related to an increased risk of gallstone disease.