The Lowest Prevalence of Cholelithiasis in the Americas - An Autopsy-based Study

OBJECTIVES: This study used autopsy to evaluate the prevalence of cholelithiasis and its associated risk factors in a population of healthy, young subjects who suffered a violent or natural death. METHODS: This study is a prospective evaluation of autopsies of 446 individuals from 2011 to 2013 in Brazil. Of that sample, 330 (74%) subjects died from violent deaths and 116 (26%) died naturally. The presence of biliary calculi, previous cholecystectomy, gender, age, ethnicity, body mass index (BMI) and alcohol use were evaluated. RESULTS: In the natural death group, 6.9% (95% CI 3.39 to 13.28) (3.08% of the male subjects and 11.76% of the female subjects) exhibited evidence of gallbladder disease. In the violent death group, only 2.12% (95% CI 0.96 to 4.43) (2.17% of the male subjects and 1.85% of the female subjects) of the subjects exhibited evidence of gallbladder disease. Age was correlated with the prevalence of gallbladder disease, but BMI was correlated with only gallbladder disease in the natural death group. CONCLUSIONS: This population has the lowest prevalence of cholelithiasis in the Americas. Dietary habits, physical activity, ethnicity, alcohol consumption and genetic factors may be responsible for this low prevalence.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Asperti,André Marangoni, Reis,Paulo, Diniz,Marcio Augusto, Pinto,Mariana Dourado, Silva Júnior,Edinésio Carlos da, Silva,Danilo Felipe Dias da, D’Albuquerque,Luiz Augusto Carneiro, Andraus,Wellington
Format:	Digital revista
Language:	English
Published:	Faculdade de Medicina / USP 2016
Online Access:	http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1807-59322016000700365
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