Ultrasound findings in the gallbladder of adult Sickle Cell Anaemia and sex-age matched non Sickle Cell Anaemia patients at National Hospital Abuja: An analytic cross sectional study

Abstract

Background: Sickle Cell Anaemia (SCA), a hereditary hemoglobinopathy prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, is associated with chronic haemolysis that predisposes patients to pigment gallstones. While gallbladder complications are common in SCA, especially in resource-limited regions, adult-targeted screening remains infrequent.

Objective: To evaluate gallbladder morphology in adults with SCA using ultrasonography and compare these findings with healthy, age- and sex-matched non-SCA in relation to their anthropometry parameters.

Methods: In this hospital-based analytic cross sectional study, 160 confirmed adult SCA patients and 160 age and sex-matched healthy controls underwent standardized gallbladder ultrasound. Parameters assessed included gallbladder volume, gallbladder wall thickness, and presence of stones in gallbladder. The examination was performed after atleast 6 hours fasting using a 3.5-5.0MHZ curvilinear array probe of a Mindray DC-N3-PRO ultrasound machine. The data obtained was analysed with SPSS version 20.0 using Student T-Test, p-value and Spearman or Karl-Pearson’s correlation coefficient where appropriate, and the results were presented in tables where necessary. The significant findings identified were highlighted.

Results: The prevalence of cholelithiasis among the sickle cell anaemia subjects in this study was 20%, while the prevalence of cholelithiasis among the controls was 7.5%. Sickle cell anaemia subjects had significantly higher mean gallbladder volume (31.9±1.2cm²) compared to the healthy controls (23.2±1.4cm²), (P<0.001).

Conclusion: Adults living with SCA exhibit significantly higher rates of cholelithiasis and enlarged gallbladder volumes. Routine ultrasound screening should be integrated into adult SCA management in Nigeria to facilitate early intervention.