ASSOCIATION OF TEA AND OTHER ADDICTIVE SUBSTANCES WITH GALLSTONE DISEASE IN SOUTHERN SINDH, PAKISTAN

Association of Tea with Gallstone Disease

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate any association of consumption and / or use of tea, paan, supari, naas, naswar, smoking, coffee and alcohol with gallstone disease.
Design: Case – Control study
Place and Duration of study: The study was carried out at different hospitals of Hyderabad and adjoining areas (Liaquat University Hospital, Jamshoro, Memon Charitable Hospital, Hyderabad, Wali Bhai Rajputana Hospital, Hyderabad, Naseem Medical Center, Hyderabad, and Isra University Hospital, Hyderabad) during January 1999 to December 2001.
Patients and Methods: 160 hospitalized gallstone patients and 112 patients admitted in eye wards were taken as controls (age, sex and locality matched with negative personal and family history). The justification of taking eye patients as controls lie in the fact that these patients have no gastrointestinal problem which could be associated with gallstones. All were interviewed through a standard questionnaire developed for that purpose.
Results: The consumption and / or use of tea, paan, naas / naswaar, alcohol and coffee were common among both the groups. Smoking was found to be the main risk factor for gallstone patients. Smokers as against non-smokers were however at risk 1.89 (95% CI, 0.68-5.26, p=0.105) to develop gallstones. Similarly consumers of more than 1 cup of tea per day were seen to be at higher risk (4.07, 95% CI; 1.71-9.64, p=0.001) for gallstone disease. No association of Supari, Naas and Naswar intake was found with the occurrence of gallstones. A significant inverse association (0.49 CI; 0.34-0.5, p=0.04) of paan, (0.39 CI; 0.11-0.52, p=0.00) alcohol, and (0.36 CI; 0.24-0.98, p=0.04) coffee was found with gallstone disease.
Conclusion: Tea consumption is positively and Paan, alcohol and coffee consumptions are negatively associated with gallstone disease in Southern Sindh, Pakistan.