Retrospective study: gallstone incidence rose with age in Chinese health-check patients
In a retrospective analysis of 37,440 people without gallstones at baseline, 3.73% later developed gallstones confirmed by repeated ultrasound; incidence was higher in those aged 65 and above than in younger adults. [1]
Automatic summary · not editorially reviewed
The key findings
The retrospective study included 37,440 people without gallstones at baseline who had at least two ultrasound examinations. [1]
Gallstone incidence was 11.88% in people aged 65 and above versus 2.59% in those below 65. [1]
Age, waist circumference, aspartate aminotransferase and fasting blood glucose were reported as risk factors; triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein as protective factors. [1]
The source at a glance
- Study type / format
- Retrospective observational study
- Population / context
- 37,440 people without gallstones at baseline who had at least two ultrasound examinations at a Chinese hospital health examination centre, 2012–2021.
- Summary based on
- Study abstract
- Original publication
- May 22, 2026
Health-check cohort without baseline gallstones
The study retrospectively analysed health examination data from January 2012 to December 2021 at the physical examination centre of Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University. It included people who had no gallstones at baseline and received at least two ultrasound examinations. In total 37,440 subjects were included, with a mean age of 44.48 years (range 16–103). Gallstones were confirmed by repeated ultrasound examinations.
Supporting source [1]
Higher incidence in those aged 65 and above
Gallstones were confirmed in 1401 subjects (699 men, 702 women), mean age 59.57 years (range 22–103), giving an incidence of 3.73%. The incidence in people aged 65 and above was 11.88% (553 of 4653), compared with 2.59% (848 of 32,788) in the younger and middle-aged group below 65; the difference was statistically significant. The abstract reports that incidence increased with age in both men and women.
Supporting source [1]
Reported risk and protective factors
Using logistic regression, the authors report age, waist circumference, aspartate aminotransferase and fasting blood glucose as risk factors for gallstone formation, and triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein as protective factors. These are associations from an observational study, not proof of cause. The abstract does not report effect sizes, confidence intervals or adjustment details, and the full text was not reviewed.
Supporting source [1]
How to interpret this
Abstract only; the full text was not reviewed. This is a retrospective observational study, so the reported factors are associations, not causes. Effect sizes, confidence intervals and adjustment details are not given in the abstract.
Based on the study abstract; the full paper, tables and supplementary data were not reviewed.
Source & supporting passages
Gu L, Cai J, Wang F, Gao X, Huang Y, Zhou Z, Zheng Y. · europepmc.org · May 22, 2026