Cholesterol and pigment gallstones in Northern India. A prospective analysis

Abstract

Two hundred one consecutive patients with gallstone disease who had undergone cholecystectomy were analyzed to determine the relative frequency of occurrence of cholesterol and pigment gallstones and to identify distinguishing features of the two stone types. Cholesterol stones (CS) formed the majority (94%) of gallstones. There were no distinctive clinical, biochemical, or radiological features of CS or pigment stones (PS). However, CS were found significantly more often than PS (P < 0.05) in multiparous women leading a sedentary life-style. Although multiplicity of gallstones was somewhat commoner with CS (P < 0.05) and radiopacity with PS (P < 0.05) as compared with the other stone type, these differences were certainly not discriminatory between CS and PS.