Cholelithiasis in Saudi patients with sickle cell anemia

Gallbladder ultrasonography was performed on 150 patients with sickle cell disease (144 SS and 6 S-B Thal) to establish the prevalence of choletithiasis in Saudi sicklers. There were 81 males and 69 females whose ages ranged from 1(1/2) to 75 years (mean 16.0). Gallstones were demonstrated in 29 patients, giving an overall prevalence of 19.3%. An additional 34 patients (22.7%) had only biliary sludge. The youngest patient with gallstones was seven-years-old. Of those with positive gallstones, radiopaque gallstones were found in 24%. There was a correlation between the presence of gallstones and increasing age. Patients with gallstones also had higher serum bilirubin levels, but their hemoglobin, hematocrit, reticulocyte count, hemoglobin S and hemoglobin F levels were not significantly different from those patients without gallstones.