Gallstones in Crohn's disease.

The prevalence of gallstones in 52 patients operated on for Crohn's disease at the University Central Hospital of Tampere over a 17-year period (1972-1988) was 21%, as compared with 23% in an age- and sex-matched control population. The gallstone prevalence rate among patients with Crohn's ileitis was significantly higher than in patients with ileocolitis (p less than 0.05) or patients with Crohn's colitis (p less than 0.005). The prevalence of gallstones in 33 patients with ileal resection was 24%. In patients with an ileal resection of more than 50 cm in length the frequency of gallstones was 33% as against 17% in patients with a minor resection (p less than 0.001). Patients with gallstones had no significantly longer duration of Crohn's disease prior to the diagnosis of gallstones than patients with no gallstones during the median observation period of 12 years.