Aim: To determine the frequency and risk factors of
Gallbladder stone disease (GSD) among patients with chronic
hepatitis C infection.
Material and Methods: The study was conducted on
patients with chronic HCV infection admitted to Tropical
Medicine and Gastroenterology Department, Assiut University
Hospital during the Period from November 2010 to December
2011 and patients without HCV infection attending Tropical
Medicine and Gastroenterology Clinic, Assiut University
Hospital. The study included 48 patients (29 males, 19 females)
with chronic HCV infection and 192 patients (113 males, 79
females) without HCV infection. For all participants, the
following was conducted: Clinical evaluation (Medical History
and Physical Examination), abdominal ultrasonographic
examination, and laboratory investigations including estimation
of fasting serum level of glucose, lipid profile [fasting serum
levels of cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol,
high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, and triglycerides],
liver profile [serum levels of bilirubin, albumin, alanine
aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST),
and alkaline phosphatase (ALP)], prothrombin time, and
complete blood count.
Results: The frequency of GSD among patients with
chronic HCV infection was 25% while it was 15.1% among
the subjects without HCV infection. The metabolic syndrome
(Odds ratio was 33 and 95% confidence interval was 3-424)
and glucose intolerance (Odds ratio was 12 and 95% confi-
dence interval was 1-133) were significantly, independently
associated with GSD among patients with chronic HCV
infection.
Conclusion: The frequency of GSD is more among patients
with chronic HCV infection than among HCV-negative sub-
jects. Among patients with chronic HCV infection, risk factors
for GSD are the metabolic syndrome and glucose intolerance.