A population-based follow-up study on gallstone disease among type 2 diabetics in Kinmen, Taiwan

AIM： To assess the incidence of and risk factors for gallstone disease （GSD） among type 2 diabetics in Kinmen, Taiwan. METHODS： A screening program for GSD was performed by two specialists who employed real-time abdominal ultrasound to examine the abdominal region after patients had fasted for at least eight hours. Screening, which was conducted in 2001, involved 848 patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. After exclusion of 63 subjects with prevalent GSD, 377 participants without GSD were invited in 2002 for a second round of screening. A total of 281 （74.5%） subjects were re-examined. RESULTS： Among the 281 type 2 diabetics who had no GSD at the first screening, 10 had developed GSD by 2002. The incidence was 3.56% per year （95%CI： 1.78% per year-6.24% per year）. Using a Cox regression model, age （RR = 1.07, 95% CI： 1.00-1.14）, waist circumference （RR = 1.12, 95% CI： 1.01-1.29）, and ALT （RR = 1.13, 95%CI： 1.01-1.26） appeared to be significantly correlated with development of GSD. CONCLUSION： Older age is a known risk factor for the development of GSD. Our study shows that greater waist circumference and elevated ALT levels are also associated with the development of GSD among type 2 diabetics in Kinmen.