Few studies have investigated the relation between
glucose tolerance status and ultrasonographically determined
gallstone disease. Using a 75-g oral
glucose tolerance test, we examined the association of
impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and
non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (
NIDDM) with
gallstone disease in Japanese men. Subjects were men aged 48 to 59 of the Japan Self-Defense Forces who received a preretirement health examination between October 1986 to December 1994. After exclusion of 12 men under
insulin treatment in the consecutive series of 7637 men, 174 were found to have
gallstones; 103 were at the state of postcholecystectomy, and 6899 had normal gallbladder. IGT and
NIDDM were associated with a modestly increased risk of
gallstone disease; adjusted odds ratios were 1.3 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.9-1.8) for IGT and 1.3 (95% CI: 0.8-2.0) for
NIDDM after adjustment for hospital, rank, smoking, alcohol use, and body mass index. Adjusted odds ratio for IGT and
NIDDM combined was 1.3 (95% CI: 1.0-1.7, p=0.08). When prevalent
gallstones and postcholecystectomy were considered separately,
NIDDM showed a significant, positive association with postcholecystectomy, but not with prevalent
gallstones. The findings add to evidence that
glucose intolerance is associated with a modest increase in the risk of
gallstone disease.