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Aim: To assess the incidence of and risk factors for gallstone disease (GSD) among type 2 diabetics in Kinmen, Taiwan., Methods: A screening program for GSD was performed by two specialists who employed real-time abdominal ultrasound to examine the abdominal region after patients had fasted for at least eight hours. Screening, which was conducted in 2001, involved 848 patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. After exclusion of 63 subjects with prevalent GSD, 377 participants without GSD were invited in 2002 for a second round of screening. A total of 281 (74.5%) subjects were re-examined., Results: Among the 281 type 2 diabetics who had no GSD at the first screening, 10 had developed GSD by 2002. The incidence was 3.56% per year (95% CI: 1.78% per year-6.24% per year). Using a Cox regression model, age (RR = 1.07, 95% CI: 1.00-1.14), waist circumference (RR = 1.12, 95% CI: 1.01-1.29), and ALT (RR = 1.13, 95%CI: 1.01-1.26) appeared to be significantly correlated with development of GSD., Conclusion: Older age is a known risk factor for the development of GSD. Our study shows that greater waist circumference and elevated ALT levels are also associated with the development of GSD among type 2 diabetics in Kinmen.

Aim: To explore the prevalence of gallstone disease (GSD) in Taiwan and condition-associated factors related to it., Methods: We studied a total of 2386 healthy adults (1235 males and 1151 females) voluntarily admitted to Cheng Hsin General Hospital for a paid physical check-up between January 2002 and December 2002. Blood samples and ultrasound sonography results were collected., Results: The overall prevalence of GSD among this study-population was 5.3%, including 1.7% (n=40) having a single stone, 2.3% (n=55) having multiple stones, and 1.3% (n=31) having cholecystectomy. The prevalence revealed a statistically significant increase with increasing age (P<0.0001). Females exhibited a greater prevalence of multiple stones than did males (3.0% vs 1.7%, P=0.04). Using multiple logistic regression analysis, the following appeared to be significantly related to the prevalence of GSD: older age (40-49 years vs < 40 years, OR=1.63 [95% CI: 0.76-3.48], 50-59 years vs < 40 years, OR=4.93 [95% CI: 2.43-9.99], 60-69 years vs < 40 years, OR=6.82 [95% CI: 3.19-14.60], > or = 70 years vs < 40 years, OR=10.65 [95% CI: 4.78-23.73]), higher BMI (> or = 27 kg/m2 vs < 24 kg/m2, adjusted OR=1.74 [95% CI: 1.04-2.88]), and higher FPG (> or = 126 mg/dL vs < 110 mg/dL, OR=1.71, 95%CI: 1.01-2.96)., Conclusion: Older age (> or = 50 years), obesity (BMI > or = 27 kg/m2), and type 2 diabetes (FPG > or = 126 mg/dL) are associated with the prevalence of GSD.

Aim: To explore the association of serum insulin, insulin resistance, and beta-cell dysfunction with gallstone disease (GSD) in type 2 diabetics., Methods: We used a community-based study conducted between 1991 and 1993 in Kinmen, Taiwan to identify type 2 diabetics. A screening program for GSD was performed in 2001 by a panel of specialists who employed real-time ultrasound sonography to examine the abdominal region after the patient had fasted for at least 8 h. Screening was conducted in 2001 on 848 patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. The HOMA method was used to compare the profile differences for insulin resistance (HOMA IR) and beta-cell dysfunction (HOMA beta-cell)., Results: We studied 440 type 2 diabetics who attended sonography check-ups. After excluding eight insulin-treated diabetics, the prevalence of GSD among the remaining 432 was 13.9% (26/187) among males and 14.7% (36/245) among females. After adjustment for other GSD-associated risk factors in addition to age and obesity, GSD risk increased among females with levels of serum insulin [4(th) vs 1(st) quartile odds ratios (OR) = 4.46 (95%CI: 1.71-11.66)] and HOMA IR [4(th) vs 1(st) quartile OR = 4.46 (95%CI: 1.71-11.66)]. Better HOMA beta-cell function was significantly related to decreased risk of GSD [4(th) vs 1(st) quartile OR = 0.16 (95%CI: 0.03-1.70)]. Among males, age and central obesity were the most significant risk factors for GSD. No association of GSD with serum insulin, HOMA IR, and HOMA beta-cell was observed among males., Conclusion: Serum insulin, insulin resistance, and beta-cell dysfunction are risk factors for GSD in females, but not males with type 2 diabetes.

Aim: To explore any gender-related differences in prevalence of and condition-associated factors related to an elevated serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level amongst residents of Kinmen, Taiwan., Methods: A total of 11,898 of a potential 20,112 regional residents aged 30 years or more completed a related questionnaire that was carried out by the Yang-Ming Crusade between 1991 and 1994 inclusively, with blood samples being collected by public nurses. The overall questionnaire response rate was 59.3% (52.4% for males and 66.0% for females)., Results: The prevalence of an elevated serum ALT level for this sub-population was found to be 7.2%, the prevalence revealing a statistically significant decrease with increasing population age (P<0.0001). Males exhibited a greater prevalence of elevated serum ALT level than did females (9.4% vs 5.3%, P<0.0001). Using multiple logistic regression analysis, in addition to male gender, a younger age, greater waist circumference, presence of type-2 diabetes and hyperuricemia were the significant factors associated with an elevated serum ALT level for both males and females. Gender-related differences as regards associated factors were also revealed. For males, obesity was significantly related to an elevated serum ALT level (OR = 1.28, 95%CI: 1.00-1.66) but this was not so for females (OR = 1.09, 95%CI: 0.84-1.42). Hypertriglyceridemia (OR = 1.80, 95%CI: 1.36-2.39) and hyperuricemia (OR = 1.61, 95%CI: 1.03-2.52) were significantly related to elevated serum ALT levels only for females., Conclusion: Several gender-related differences were noted pertaining to the prevalence of and relationship between obesity, hypertriglyceridemia and hyperuricemia and elevated serum ALT level in the present study.