Gallbladder wall thickening in patients with acute hepatitis

Area of Science:

• Hepatology
• Diagnostic Imaging

Background:

• Gallbladder wall thickening (GWT) is a common finding in patients with acute hepatitis (AH).
• The specific relationship between AH and GWT remains incompletely understood.
• This study aimed to characterize GWT in patients diagnosed with AH.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence of GWT in patients with acute hepatitis.
• To identify clinical and laboratory factors associated with GWT in this patient cohort.
• To explore the potential etiological links to GWT in acute hepatitis.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective analysis of 232 patients with AH who underwent sonographic examination between April 2002 and April 2007.
• Comparison of clinical and laboratory findings between patients with and without GWT.
• Evaluation of variables including gender, age, laboratory results, symptom duration, gallstone presence, and GWT etiology.

Main Results:

• Gallbladder wall thickening (GWT) was observed in 147 (63%) of the 232 patients with AH.
• Patients with higher alanine aminotransferase levels (>500 IU/l) exhibited significantly greater GWT (5.2 ± 3.4 mm) compared to others (3.9 ± 2.3 mm; p < 0.05).
• Hepatitis A virus infection (OR=3.17), female gender (OR=2.47), and elevated total bilirubin (OR=1.09) were significantly associated with GWT.

Conclusions:

• The incidence of GWT in patients with acute hepatitis is substantial (63%).
• Hepatitis A virus infection, female gender, and elevated total bilirubin levels are independently associated with GWT in patients with AH.
• These findings highlight specific risk factors for GWT in the context of acute hepatitis.