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Introduction: Evidence regarding the association between diabetes mellitus (DM) and cholelithiasis is still inconsistent. Aim: To examine the association between diabetes and gallstones and the commonly associated factors in a nationwide population-based cohort investigation. Material and methods: The demographic and outcome variable data were extracted from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database for the years 2017-2018. Results: A total of 5376 individuals were included in the final analysis, with a mean age of 51.3 ±17.8 years. Females constituted 51.5% of the included individuals, and the overall mean body mass index (BMI) was 29.8 ±7.4 kg/m2. The prevalence of diabetes was 16.2% among the included individuals, with a mean age of 50.6 ±13.6 years at diagnosis of diabetes, and only 4.5% were taking insulin. The prevalence of cholelithiasis was 11.2%, with a mean age of 44.4 ±16.1 years at diagnosis, and 11.3% had previous cholecystectomy (gallbladder surgery.) There was a significant increase in gallstone rates among diabetic patients as compared to non-diabetics in the unadjusted (OR = 2.30; 95% CI: 1.89-2.79; p < 0.001) and adjusted (OR = 1.52; 95% CI: 1.20-1.92; p < 0.001) models. Moreover, this association was not time-dependent where the "age when first told you had diabetes" did not show a significant influence on the gallstone rate, whether in unadjusted (OR = 1.01; 95% CI: 1.00-1.02; p = 0.221) or adjusted (OR = 1.01; 95% CI: 0.99-1.03; p = 0.395) models. Furthermore, insulin usage was found to be a significant predictor of cholelithiasis, whether in unadjusted (OR = 2.39; 95% CI: 1.74-3.28; p < 0.001) or adjusted (OR = 1.52; 95% CI: 1.05-2.19; p = 0.026) models. Conclusions: DM and insulin therapy are possible risk factors for developing cholelithiasis.
RESUMEN
Gastric Varices occur as a result of portal hypertension. Balloon Retrograde Transvenous Obliteration (BRTO) is a modality for managing gastric varices. The ultimate goal of this review is to promote the broader adoption of BRTO in managing gastric varices and to promote further research to improve patient outcomes. Before this study, an electronic literature search was undertaken based on identified concepts, keywords, and other pertinent descriptions. Search databases were developed and included "Gastric varices" AND "BRTO" OR "intervention" OR "treatment" OR "procedure" OR "glue" OR "adhesive". The databases selected and thoroughly searched were PubMed, Cochrane Library and ScienceDirect. Following the first search, 274 articles were found in total. By applying inclusion criteria of full-text articles and a period of fewer than five years, the database was reduced to 37 articles, which was then further filtered to include only articles on adults over 19 years old, leaving a total count of 17 articles. BRTO is a relatively simple procedure to perform once the essential skill is attained and helpful in both emergency and elective management of gastric varices. Its use still needs to be improved by the unavailability and lack of skills. However, there are side effects associated with BRTO as it causes elevation of portal hypertension, recurrent bleeding, hemoglobinuria and pain post procedure. This review emphasizes the need for further research in this field, focusing on refining patient selection criteria, improving the technical aspect of the procedure and enhancing long-term outcomes.