Brief Article
Copyright ©2012 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Oct 28, 2012; 18(40): 5789-5792
Published online Oct 28, 2012. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v18.i40.5789
Effect of ezetimibe on the prevalence of cholelithiasis
Assaf Stein, Doron Hermoni, Avishay Elis, Fred M Konikoff
Assaf Stein, Fred M Konikoff, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Tel Aviv, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba 44281, Israel
Doron Hermoni, Department of Family Medicine, Clalit Health Services Sharon, Netanya 42470, Israel
Avishay Elis, Department of Medicine A, University of Tel Aviv, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba 44281, Israel
Author contributions: Stein A performed the majority of the research and wrote the manuscript; Konikoff FM designed the research and supervised the work; Elis A was involved in data acquisition and editing the manuscript; Hermoni D participated in data acquisition and analysis.
Correspondence to: Dr. Assaf Stein, MD, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Tel Aviv, Meir Medical Center, 59 Tchernichovsky Street, Kfar Saba 44281, Israel. assaf.stein@clalit.org.il
Telephone: +972-9-7472580 Fax: +972-9-7472167
Received: November 6, 2011
Revised: February 12, 2012
Accepted: May 12, 2012
Published online: October 28, 2012
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the prevalence of cholelithiasis among patients treated with ezetimibe.

METHODS: A retrospective, case-control study based on computerized medical records from patients of the Clalit Health Services, Sharon-Shomron region, from 2000 to 2009. Patients 20-85 years of age, who had been treated with ezetimibe and statins or statins only for at least 6 mo, and who had an abdominal ultrasound were included in the study. Collected data included age, gender, ezetimibe treatment duration, presence of hypothyroidism or diabetes, and existence of cholelithiasis as determined by ultrasound. Excluded were subjects after gallbladder resection, with hemolysis, myeloproliferative or inflammatory bowel diseases, and those treated with ursodeoxycholic acid and fibrates. Patients treated with statins and ezetimibe (study group) were compared to patients treated with statins only (control group).

RESULTS: The study group included 25 patients and the control group 168. All patients in the study were treated with statins. The study group included 13 males (52%) and 12 females (48%), the control group 76 males (45%) and 92 (55%) females (P = 0.544). The groups did not differ in age (mean age: 68 ± 8 years, range 53-85 years vs mean age: 71 ± 8 years, range 51-85 years; P = 0.153) or in the rate of diabetic and hypothyroid patients [11 (44%) vs 57 (33%), P = 0.347 in the study group and 5 (20%) vs 23 (14%), P = 0.449 in the control group, respectively]. Patients in the study group were treated with ezetimibe for an average of 798 ± 379 d. Cholelithiasis was found in 4 (16%) patients in the study group and in 33 (20%) patients in the control group (P = 0.666).

CONCLUSION: Ezetimibe does not appear to influence the prevalence of gallstones.

Keywords: Bile, Cholesterol, Neiman-Pick C1-like Receptor, Gallstones, Ezetimibe