Association between sarcopenia and the prevalence of gallstone in US adults: a cross-sectional analysis of NHANES

Backgroud: Gallstones are a common disease that imposes a significant burden on public health resources. Sarcopenia is an age-related condition characterized by a decline in muscle mass, strength, and function. However, its relationship with gallstones remains unclear. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 2,167 US adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We used the multivariable logistic regression models and restricted cubic spline regression to to assess the relationship between sarcopenia and gallstones. Additionally, subgroup analyses and propensity score matching (PSM) were conducted to account for potential confounding factors. Results: We found a significant negative association between the sarcopenia index and the prevalence of gallstones (OR: 0.253, 95% CI: 0.132–0.471, P < 0.001). In Model 4, which integrated all covariates, sarcopenia was associated with approximately a 100% increased prevalence of gallstones compared to non-sarcopenia patients (OR: 1.995, 95% CI: 1.340–2.948, P < 0.001). The results of PSM also confirmed the association between sarcopenia and gallstones (OR: 1.982, 95% CI: 1.217–3.285, P = 0.007). Notably, this association was more pronounced in subgroups including females, non-Hispanic whites, married individuals, and higher education level. Conclusion: In summary, our findings suggest a positive association between sarcopenia and the prevalence of gallstones in US adults. This suggests that we should increase the emphasis on gallstone disease screening in sarcopenia patients. However, this finding needs to be validated through further large-scale prospective studies.