Cohort study on relationship between hepatitis B and gallstones using stratified sampling / 中华实验和临床病毒学杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the relationship between hepatitis B and gallstones using epidemiological methods.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The analysed data from 510 patients with hepatitis B and 359 patients with other diseases treated in our hospital from the period January 1998 to June 2001 were retrospectively analysed. The patients with hepatitis B were classified into groups. The incidence of gallstones was determined in each group. Queue study method was used to calculate RR in each group and statistical analysis was conducted to determine difference among different groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>As compared the patients gallstone with the patients with other diseases RR in those with hepatitis B (including those with chronic hepatitis or liver cirrhosis) was significantly higher (P<0.01). The value of RR was not markedly increased in patients with acute hepatitis or cholestatic hepatitis. After long-term administration of Chinese herbal medicine, the incidence of gallstones in patients with hepatitis B was decreased.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Chronic pathological changes in patients with hepatitis B may be one of the causes for gallstones. This may provide epidemiological basis for prevention and treatment of gallstones.</p>