Rheumatoid arthritis and risk of gallstone disease: a nation-wide population-based study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease associated with systemic inflammation and various comorbidities, including potential gallbladder disease. However, evidence linking RA to gallstones or cholecystectomy remains limited and inconsistent. This study assesses whether patients with RA are at higher risk of developing gallstones and undergoing cholecystectomy than individuals without RA.

Methods

Using data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service, we identified 54,910 individuals diagnosed with RA between 2010 and 2017. After applying separate exclusion criteria for the analyses of developing gallstones and undergoing cholecystectomy, we matched those patients in a 1:3 ratio based on age and sex to derive a control population without RA.

SUBMITTER: Park J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12432628 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature