Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 3 complete abstracts (671 words), 9 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
Diseases of the gallbladder. They generally involve the impairment of BILE flow, gallstones in the biliary tract, infections, neoplasms, or other diseases.
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Disease, Gallbladder; Diseases, Gallbladder; Gallbladder Disease; Gall Bladder Diseases; Bladder Disease, Gall; Bladder Diseases, Gall; Disease, Gall Bladder; Diseases, Gall Bladder.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Biliary Tract Diseases
- Narrower topics
- Cholecystitis; Cholecystolithiasis; Gallbladder Neoplasms
Related concepts
- Gallbladder
- Gallstones
- Biliary Tract
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 45,700 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Gallbladder Diseases” (counts retrieved 2026-11-04). 5,844 of them (12.8%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is through 1999 with 24,023 records.
Reviews account for 4,235 records (9.3%) and meta-analyses for 456. Randomized controlled trials number 642 (1.4%) as a share of all records on the topic. Randomized trials make up only a small share of this literature, so much of what is known comes from laboratory, observational or descriptive work.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 24,023 |
| 2000-2009 | 6,853 |
| 2010-2019 | 8,980 |
| 2020 onward | 5,844 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 4,235 | 9.3% |
| Meta-analyses | 456 | 1.0% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 642 | 1.4% |
Method: PubMed query "Gallbladder Diseases"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-11-04.
Reading the evidence in digestive system and liver
Gut and liver research ranges from laboratory studies of the microbiome to large trials of drugs and surgery. Symptoms such as pain, reflux or bowel change are reported by patients and overlap between conditions, and diet and microbiome studies are mostly observational. Check whether the study measured symptoms, tissue findings or long-term outcomes, how the diagnosis was made and how long people were followed. Nothing here replaces advice from a qualified clinician.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estimating global prevalence of gallbladder stones in general population from 2000 to 2024: systematic review and meta-analysis | 2025 | Meta-analysis Design not recorded in structured metadata | 6 | cc by PMID 41069192 · DOI · PMC12517418 |
| Suspected common bile duct stones: Which test is best? | 2025 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 5 | cc by PMID 40804541 · DOI · PMC12500837 |
| Macrophage-rich niches regulate T cell dynamics at the liver invasive margin during gallbladder cancer progression | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 4 | cc by PMID 41766656 · DOI · PMC12948426 |
Estimating global prevalence of gallbladder stones in general population from 2000 to 2024: systematic review and meta-analysis [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- BackgroundGallbladder stones (GS), is one of the most common and costly of all the gastrointestinal diseases.
- Closing excerpt
- Accurate estimates of the global and population-based prevalence of GS are helpful for healthcare improvements.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (249 words)
BackgroundGallbladder stones (GS), is one of the most common and costly of all the gastrointestinal diseases. However, global prevalence estimates of GS remain heterogeneous due to methodological variations across studies, and consensus on risk factor hierarchies is still evolving. Therefore, we performed current study in order to estimate the global prevalence of GS.Materials and methodsThe quality of included studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Data were analysed via the DerSimonian-Laird random-effects model with Logit transformations, and sensitivity analysis was performed using a 'Leave-one-out' approach.ResultsOf 18,277 identified records, 139 studies were included in the final analysis. The overall global prevalence of GS in the general population was 5.86% (95% CI 5.28-6.47). Marked geographical disparities were observed, with the highest prevalence in Uganda (21.92%, 95% CI 18.43-25.61) and the lowest in Australia (0.18%, 95% CI 0.17-0.18) - a 122-fold difference. Multivariable meta-regression showed that study size was the strongest predictor (importance: 97.79%). Regarding risk factors, female gender, age > 50 years, increased body mass index, and family history of GS were significantly associated with higher GS prevalence. In contrast, factors such as education level, smoking, alcohol consumption, lifestyle, vegetarian diet, and serum lipid levels had no significant impact. Comorbidities including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) were strongly correlated with elevated GS prevalence.ConclusionThis meta-analysis showed that the GS was a common disease and affected the health of one in twenty people worldwide. Accurate estimates of the global and population-based prevalence of GS are helpful for healthcare improvements.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 41069192 · DOI · PMC12517418
Suspected common bile duct stones: Which test is best? [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- IntroductionThe American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) guidelines for common bile duct (CBD) stone management were created to risk stratify patients into low, intermediate, and high-risk groups to optimize interventions.
- Closing excerpt
- When available, either EUS or IOC is the preferred option for diagnostic clarification to identify the choledocholithiasis in this group.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (234 words)
IntroductionThe American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) guidelines for common bile duct (CBD) stone management were created to risk stratify patients into low, intermediate, and high-risk groups to optimize interventions. Low-risk patients typically proceed to cholecystectomy with or without Intra-operative cholangiogram (IOC) whereas high-risk patients typically proceed to common duct clearance. The optimum management of intermediate-risk patients still widely varies. This study aims to characterize the use of MRCP, IOC, and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) in patients with intermediate risk of CBD stones.Methods and proceduresThis is a retrospective analysis of data from the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma (EAST) Retained Common Bile Duct stone database comprised of deidentified data and outcomes of patients prospectively admitted with suspected CBD stones and/or acute biliary pancreatitis from 12 US medical centers between 2016 and 2019. Analysis of the testing characteristics sensitivity (SN), specificity (SP), and predictive values (positive (PPV) and negative (NPV)) were calculated for MRCP, EUS, and IOC based on definitive identification of CBD stones.Results736 patients met inclusion criteria. 521 met the ASGE intermediate risk of choledocholithiasis criteria. 208/521 (39.9%) underwent pre-op MRCP, 44/521 (8.4%) underwent pre-op EUS, and 238/521 (45.7%) underwent IOC.ConclusionsThere is little role for MRCP for ASGE intermediate-risk patients as this modality has both lower sensitivity and specificity than EUS and IOC. When available, either EUS or IOC is the preferred option for diagnostic clarification to identify the choledocholithiasis in this group.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 40804541 · DOI · PMC12500837
Macrophage-rich niches regulate T cell dynamics at the liver invasive margin during gallbladder cancer progression [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Liver invasion is one of the most frequent events in the progression of gallbladder cancer (GBC).
- Closing excerpt
- Altogether, these findings demonstrate novel cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying liver invasion and offer clinical value for immunotherapies.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (188 words)
Liver invasion is one of the most frequent events in the progression of gallbladder cancer (GBC). However, the cellular and pathological role of the tumor-liver-interface microenvironment in liver invasion is still enigmatic. Here, we applied single-cell and spatial transcriptomics to systematically investigate the cellular component and gene expression regulation of the microenvironment from the tumor to the liver, specifically the invasive boundary. Our analyses revealed that CXCL9+ macrophage-rich immune cell niches were accumulated in the tumor-liver invasive margin, where 2 subclasses of the CXCL9+ immune cell niches, CXCL9+TRAC+ (CT) and CXCL9+C1QB+ (CC) niches, were identified. CD8+ T cells were recruited by CXCL9+ macrophages through CXCL9-CXCR3 interaction in the CT niche, which was located adjacent to the liver. Moreover, the CC niche was proximal to the tumor core, where tumor cells induced CD8+ T cell exhaustion via LGALS4 expression. In addition, our cohort study showed that high CXCL9 and low LGALS4 in the liver invasion margin demonstrated a favorable prognosis and better responses to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy for patients with gallbladder cancer. Altogether, these findings demonstrate novel cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying liver invasion and offer clinical value for immunotherapies.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 41766656 · DOI · PMC12948426
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article Open versus laparoscopic cholecystectomy in acute cholecystitis. Systematic review and meta-analysis [4]
- Research article Association of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist Use With Risk of Gallbladder and Biliary Diseases: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials [5]
- Research article Subtotal cholecystectomy for "difficult gallbladders": systematic review and meta-analysis [6]
- Research article Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials on the safety and effectiveness of early versus delayed laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis [7]
- Research article A systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic performance of imaging in acute cholecystitis [8]
- Research article Global Epidemiology of Gallstones in the 21st Century: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis [9]
Full-text reviews on EvidenceLib
Open-access review articles about this topic, reproduced in full with authors, licence and references.
Evidence-Based Guideline on Laparoscopy in Pregnancy
E Ball, N Waters, N Cooper et al. · Facts, Views & Vision in ObGyn 2019 · CC BY 4.0
References
- Ning Q, Liu F, Fang Y, Zhu X, Liu J, Li Z. Estimating global prevalence of gallbladder stones in general population from 2000 to 2024: systematic review and meta-analysis. . 2025. PMID 41069192 · DOI · PMC12517418
- Varone A, Mendoza A, Gelbard R, Tracy B, Poulose B. Suspected common bile duct stones: Which test is best?. . 2025. PMID 40804541 · DOI · PMC12500837
- Li M, Liu Z, Shan S, Jia Z, Li Y, Liu F, et al.. Macrophage-rich niches regulate T cell dynamics at the liver invasive margin during gallbladder cancer progression. . 2026. PMID 41766656 · DOI · PMC12948426
- Coccolini F, Catena F, Pisano M, Gheza F, Fagiuoli S, Di Saverio S, et al.. Open versus laparoscopic cholecystectomy in acute cholecystitis. Systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Surg. 2015. PMID 25958296 · DOI
- He L, Wang J, Ping F, Yang N, Huang J, Li Y, et al.. Association of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist Use With Risk of Gallbladder and Biliary Diseases: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials. JAMA Intern Med. 2022. PMID 35344001 · DOI · PMC8961394
- Elshaer M, Gravante G, Thomas K, Sorge R, Al-Hamali S, Ebdewi H. Subtotal cholecystectomy for "difficult gallbladders": systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Surg. 2015. PMID 25548894 · DOI
- Gurusamy K, Samraj K, Gluud C, Wilson E, Davidson BR. Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials on the safety and effectiveness of early versus delayed laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis. Br J Surg. 2010. PMID 20035546 · DOI
- Kiewiet JJ, Leeuwenburgh MM, Bipat S, Bossuyt PM, Stoker J, Boermeester MA. A systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic performance of imaging in acute cholecystitis. Radiology. 2012. PMID 22798223 · DOI
- Wang X, Yu W, Jiang G, Li H, Li S, Xie L, et al.. Global Epidemiology of Gallstones in the 21st Century: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2024. PMID 38382725 · DOI
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-11-04; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-11-04.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.