Gallstones in a group of Iraqi patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVES: To find the frequency of gallstones in diabetic patients, and to study the relationship between the frequency of gallstones and state of control, and duration of diabetes mellitus (DM).

METHODS: This case control study was carried out in the Department of Medicine, Al-Yarmook Teaching Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq from April 2008 to December 2008. We enrolled 100 patients with type 2 DM (60 females and 40 males) as a test group and 100 subjects with no DM (61 females and 39 males) as a control group. Both groups were comparable for gender, age, and body mass index (BMI) and examined by ultrasound to find the gallstones. Blood samples were taken for fasting blood glucose and the BMI was measured. Both groups were asked regarding age, gender, family history of gallstones, and parity for females. The tested groups were further divided into 2 subgroups: with gallstone and without gallstone. The association between duration of DM and hemoglobin A1c level with gallstone were assessed.

RESULTS: Gallstones were found in 33% of diabetic and 17% of non-diabetic patients. There was no significant difference in age and family history of gallstone between diabetic and non-diabetic groups. However, gallstones was higher in diabetic patients with BMI >25Kg/m2, with increased duration of DM, with increased HbA1C, and multiparous females.

CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of gallstones in type 2 DM increases in obese patients, females with increased parity, increased level of HbA1c, and is positively correlated with the duration of DM.