Prevalence of cholelithiasis in patients subjected to liver transplantation for cirrhosis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The prevalence of cholelithiasis in patients subjected to liver transplantation has not been evaluated yet. This study examines the prevalence of cholelithiasis in patients subjected to liver transplantation due to cirrhosis compared to an age- and sex-matched control group. METHODS: The electronic study protocols of 400 consecutive cirrhotic patients aged between 20 and 69 years who had undergone liver transplantation for cirrhosis were evaluated to determine the presence of gallstones. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of cholelithiasis was higher in transplant recipients (96 patients; 24%) than in controls (38 patients; 9.5%) (p<0.001). There was no increase in the prevalence of cholelithiasis with age in the transplant recipients (p=0.332). Conversely, the prevalence of cholelithiasis increased with age in the control group (p<0.001). There was no difference in the gallstone prevalence between sexes in the transplant recipient group (p=0.102). However, the gallstone prevalence was 2.2 times higher in females (14.8%) than in males (6.8%) in the control group (p=0.009). CONCLUSION: Prevalence of cholelithiasis is higher in patients subjected to liver transplantation for cirrhosis. In contrast with the general population, the prevalence of cholelithiasis in cirrhotic patients is similar in both sexes and does not increase with age.