Lu JJ, Chen YZ, Huang YP. Critical assessment of the reported bidirectional associations between gallstone, non-alcoholic fatty liver, and kidney stone diseases. World J Gastroenterol 2025; 31(5): 102047 [DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v31.i5.102047]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Yuan-Zhi Chen, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, No. 4221-117 Xiang'an South Road, Xiang'an District, Xiamen 361102, Fujian Province, China. chenyuanzhi939@gmail.com
Research Domain of This Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Article-Type of This Article
Letter to the Editor
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
World J Gastroenterol. Feb 7, 2025; 31(5): 102047 Published online Feb 7, 2025. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v31.i5.102047
Critical assessment of the reported bidirectional associations between gallstone, non-alcoholic fatty liver, and kidney stone diseases
Jing-Jing Lu, Yuan-Zhi Chen, Yuan-Peng Huang
Jing-Jing Lu, Yuan-Peng Huang, Department of Internal Medicine, Xiamen Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The Affiliated with Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xiamen 361015, Fujian Province, China
Jing-Jing Lu, Yuan-Peng Huang, The Eighth School of Clinical Medicine Xiamen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Xiamen 361015, Fujian Province, China
Yuan-Zhi Chen, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, Fujian Province, China
Co-corresponding authors: Yuan-Zhi Chen and Yuan-Peng Huang.
Author contributions: Lu JJ, Chen YZ and Huang YP were responsible for the conceptualization, evidence validation, writing of the original draft, and review and editing of each subsequent version; Chen YZ and Huang YP provided overall supervision of the project.
Supported by The National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 82074508; Fujian Provincial Natural Science Foundation, No. 2023J011627; Fujian Provincial Health and Wellness Science and Technology Plan Project, No. 2023CXB003; Xiamen City Support for the Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine Special TCM Scientific Research Project, No. XWZY-2023-0603; and The Seventh Batch of National Famous Old Traditional Chinese Medicine Experts Experience Heritage Construction Program of National Administration of TCM, No. 76 (2022).
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Yuan-Zhi Chen, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, No. 4221-117 Xiang'an South Road, Xiang'an District, Xiamen 361102, Fujian Province, China. chenyuanzhi939@gmail.com
Received: October 8, 2024 Revised: November 26, 2024 Accepted: December 6, 2024 Published online: February 7, 2025 Processing time: 83 Days and 1.3 Hours
Abstract
The recent article by Jiang et al published in World Journal of Gastroenterology reports substantial bidirectional associations between gallstone disease (GSD), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and kidney stone disease (KSD), based on multicenter cross-sectional studies and a systematic review with meta-analysis. While the findings have the potential to significantly impact clinical and preventive strategies, several methodological issues merit closer examination. This letter critiques key aspects of the study, including sample population heterogeneity, potential confounding variables, and the reliance on cross-sectional data that may limit causal inferences. We also discuss the generalizability of these results to broader populations given the study's focus on the Chinese demographic. By addressing these concerns, we suggest a more nuanced interpretation of the associations between GSD, NAFLD, and KSD, advocating for longitudinal studies to validate these findings and enhance their applicability in global health contexts.
Core Tip: This study by Jiang et al examines the bidirectional associations between gallstone disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and kidney stone disease through multicenter cross-sectional research and meta-analysis. It highlights critical insights into the interconnected pathophysiology of these prevalent disorders. While promising for integrative medical strategies, the findings also underscore the challenges posed by heterogeneous samples and cross-sectional data limitations. The need for robust, longitudinal research to confirm these associations and extend their relevance to diverse global populations is crucial.
