5-F risk factors for cholelithiasis (mnemonic)
Last revised by Dr Muhammad Saad Ahmed
on 25 Oct 2020
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Knipe H, Ahmed D, Haouimi A, et al. 5-F risk factors for cholelithiasis (mnemonic). Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 23 Feb 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-25149
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rID:
25149
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Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Henry Knipe had no recorded disclosures.
View Henry Knipe's current disclosures
Last revised:
25 Oct 2020,
Dr Muhammad Saad Ahmed
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Dr Muhammad Saad Ahmed had no recorded disclosures.
View Dr Muhammad Saad Ahmed's current disclosures
Revisions:
18 times, by
11 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
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Synonyms:
- Females, fertile, fat, forty, fair and family history
- 5 F rule
The 5-F rule refers to risk factors for the development of cholelithiasis in the event of upper abdominal pain:
- fair: more prevalent in the Caucasian population 1
- fat: BMI >30 kg/m2 and hyperlipidemia 3,4
- female
- fertile: one or more children
-
forty: age ≥40 years
- cholelithiasis can occur in young patients with a positive family history; in such cases, the 'familial' factor can substitute for the 'forty' factor 2
References
- 1. Pavel S, Thijs CT, Potocky V, et al. risk of gallstone formation. J. Epidemiol. Community Health [Internet]. 1992;46(4):425–7 [cited 2013 Nov 12]. Pubmed citation
- 2. Bass G, Gilani SNS, Walsh TN. Validating the 5Fs mnemonic for cholelithiasis: time to include family history. Postgrad. Med. J. [Internet]. 2013; 89(1057):638–41. [cited 2013 Nov 12] Postgraduate Medical Journal citation
- 3. Shih-Chang Hung, Kuan-Fu Liao, Shih-Wei Lai, et al. Risk factors associated with symptomatic cholelithiasis in Taiwan: a population-based study. (2011) BMC Gastroenterology. 11 (1): 1. doi:10.1186/1471-230X-11-111 - Pubmed
- 4. Frybova B, Drabek J, Lochmannova J, Douda L, Hlava S, Zemkova D, Mixa V, Kyncl M, Zeman L, Rygl M, Keil R. Cholelithiasis and choledocholithiasis in children; risk factors for development. (2018) PloS one. 13 (5): e0196475. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0196475 - Pubmed
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