Prevalence and risk factors of gallstone disease in Korean patients with ulcerative colitis.

Background/aims: The prevalence of gallstone disease in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) is higher than in the general population. However, risk factors of gallstone disease in these patients remain unclear. Thus, we investigated the prevalence and risk factors of gallstone disease in Korean patients with UC.

Methods: Patients diagnosed with UC who underwent abdominal imaging studies between 1997 and 2020 were investigated using a well-established referral center-based large volume inflammatory bowel disease cohort. The prevalence and clinical characteristics of patients with gallstone disease were evaluated and compared with those without gallstone disease.

Results: Overall, 2,811 patients with UC were enrolled. During the follow-up period (mean, 5.7 years), 198 patients (7.0%) were diagnosed with gallstone disease and compared with those without gallstone disease (n = 2,613). The proportion of extensive colitis at maximum extent, primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), history of cytomegalovirus, corticosteroid use, immunomodulatory use, colectomy, and appendectomy were significantly higher in the gallstone group (all P< 0.05). In multivariate analyses, age ≥ 60 years at gallstone evaluation (odds ratio [OR], 1.027; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.002-1.052; P= 0.033), PSC (OR, 6.304; 95% CI, 3.162-12.565; P< 0.001), and history of colectomy (OR, 2.494; 95% CI, 1.222-5.087; P= 0.012) were significant risk factors for gallstone disease in patients with UC.

Conclusions: The prevalence of gallstone disease in Korean patients with UC was 7.0%, and age ≥ 60 years at gallstone evaluation, PSC, and history of colectomy were significant risk factors for UC patients with gallstone disease.