Prevalence of cholelithiasis in Nigerians with sickle cell disease

Gall bladder ultrasonography was performed on 157 fasting patients (mainly adults) with sickle cell disease (133 SS and 24 SC) with a view to establishing the prevalence of cholelithiasis in Nigerian 'sicklers'. There were 82 females and 75 males whose ages ranged from 9 to 60 years (mean 34.5). Gallstones were demonstrated in 38 patients, giving an overall prevalence of 24.2% (22.6% in SS and 33.3% in SC). Their ages ranged from 18 to 56 years (mean 37.0) in HbS + C patients and 10-34 (mean 22.0) in SS patients. All the patients except one were asymptomatic. Autopsy confirmed gallstones in two SS patients who died of unrelated problems. The higher prevalence obtained in this study (24.2%) compared with the prevalence (less than 10%) in earlier studies from Africa could be due to the predominantly adult age group screened and the greater sensitivity of cholecystosonography.