Association Between Metabolic Dysfunction and Gallstone Disease in U.S. Adults: An Analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Abstract

Objectives

Gallstones affect a significant proportion of U.S. adults and can cause serious complications. We aimed to investigate the association between gallstone disease and common metabolic disorders in a nationally representative sample in the United States.

Methods

We analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) collected from 2017 to 2020. We included 6164 participants meeting the eligibility criteria, which represented 171 407 370 participants. The associations between gallstone disease and six metabolic disorders were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression analyses, accounting for potential confounding factors. Subgroup analyses were conducted by age, gender, and race.

Results

Altogether 10.9% of participants had gallstone disease, with prevalence increasing with age (mean age with vs. without gallstones: 56.435 years vs. 46.896 years, p < 0.001) and a female predominance (75.1% vs. 24.9%, p < 0.001). Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), obesity, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus were significantly associated with an increased risk of gallstone formation, with adjusted odds ratios (OR) of 1.523 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.180–1.965, p = 0.002), 1.733 (95% CI 1.265–2.374, p = 0.001), 1.466 (95% CI 1.203–1.785, p = 0.001), and 1.522 (95% CI 1.165–1.989, p = 0.003), respectively. These associations were more pronounced in individuals under 60 years of age and in females. No significant associations were observed with hyperlipidemia or hyperuricemia.

Conclusions

Gallstone disease is significantly associated with obesity, NAFLD, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension, with stronger associations found in younger individuals and females. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of these findings.