Between the two groups of patients with and without biliary sludge, no significant differences were found related to age, BMI, serum total cholesterol, serum low-density cholesterol, serum total bilirubin, albumin-adjusted calcium, the MMSE, type of dementia (e.g. AD or VaD), the Barthel Index, calories of oral food intake, or number of patients with gallstone, cholangitis or cholecystitis. The gene discussed is ALB; the disease is dementia.