[Association of cholesterolosis and cholelithiasis: pathogenic implications and effects of the natural history of cholelithiasis].

We studied 793 patients subjected to cholecystectomy to determine a) the relative frequency of cholesterolosis and cholelithiasis, b) the effects of their association on the natural history of biliary disease, c) the characteristics of gallstones associated to cholesterolosis and d) factors potentially associated to their pathogenesis. The gallbladders of all patients were examined and in 289 subjects a preoperative clinical history was taken. We observed that cholesterolosis is associated to earlier clinical manifestations of biliary disease and cholecystectomy, to a greater frequency of single calculus and to a higher weight/height index. It is concluded that there are relationships between the pathogenesis of cholesterolosis and cholelithiasis and that their association favors the development of clinical manifestations.