Cholecystectomy is an independent factor of enhanced insulin release and impaired insulin sensitivity

Abstract Aims Cholecystectomy is a risk factor for insulin resistance and diabetes, but the association between cholecystectomy and insulin release/sensitivity remains obscure. We investigated the association between cholecystectomy and the factors related to glycemia and glucose tolerance. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2011 with 10,027 participants aged ≥ 40 in Nanjing, China. After applying exclusion criteria, 8,030 participants were divided into three groups: 1, without gallbladder disease (n=6783); 2, with gallbladder disease but without cholecystectomy (n=857); and 3, with cholecystectomy (n=390). Results Various indexes of blood glucose and insulin level after the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) were assessed. The association between gallbladder disease or cholecystectomy and diabetes was evaluated with logistic regression models. Group 3 had a higher prevalence of newly diagnosed diabetes by OGTT criteria compared with groups 2 and 1, respectively (20.5% vs. 12.4% vs. 10.6%, P Conclusions Cholecystectomized subjects demonstrated a higher prevalence of diabetes characterized by lower peripheral insulin sensitivity and higher total insulin release.