Intestinal microbiota and gallstone disease – is there a connection?

Abstract

Cholelithiasis is a fairly common disease of the digestive system, affecting from 10 % to 15 % of the adult population. Despite many studies devoted to this problem, the mechanisms of formation of gallstone disease have not been fully elucidated. Recently, aspects of the influence of the intestinal microbiota on the mechanisms of formation of various pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, inflammatory bowel diseases, irritable bowel syndrome, pancreatic diseases, gastroesophageal reflux disease have been considered. The presented review article examines the possible involvement of the gastrointestinal microbiome in the pathogenesis of gallstone disease. The article discusses the role of microorganisms and their metabolites in the formation of gallstones.