Morphological and demographic associations of biliary symptoms in subjects with gallstones: findings from a population-based survey in Rosario, Argentina

Abstract

Background: Gallstone disease is a frequently encountered disorder in subjects living in Rosario. The reasons for the presence or absence of symptoms are unknown.

Aims: To determine associations between biliary symptoms and ultrasonographic features of gallbladder and gallstones.

Subjects: A random study was conducted on 1,173 subjects, inhabitants of 20 years and older, in the city of Rosario, Argentina.

Methods: High-resolution abdominal ultrasound examinations were performed. Biliary pain was defined based on previously published definitions.

Results: Gallstones were found in 149 subjects (101 female, 48 male) of whom 51% of females and 35% of males with cholelithiasis were symptomatic. Mean age was 53 years in symptomatic and 55 in asymptomatic subjects. Gallbladder size was normal in 97% of symptomatic and in 96% of the asymptomatic participants. There were no significant differences between the groups as far as concerns size and gallstone number. Impacted stones were observed in 10% of symptomatic and in none of the asymptomatic subjects (p<0.01).

Conclusions: Subjects' age and gender, gallstones size and number, as well as ultrasonographic features of gallbladder and biliary tract did not differ significantly between symptomatic and asymptomatic subjects. Only impacted stones were significantly more frequent in symptomatic subjects.