Rohini Bipin Bhadre1, Radha Verma2, Priyesh Halgoankar3
INTRODUCTION
Gallstones are one of the most common problem associated with the gallbladder, affecting millions of people throughout the world. Bile is excreted from liver and gallbladder into Duodenum for digestion. After digestion, if the gallbladder is not emptied out completely, the Bile Juice that remains in the gallbladder can become too concentrated with cholesterol leading to gallstone formation. Cholesterol and calcium bilirubinate are the two main substances involved in gallstone formation. Gallstones derived from bile consists of mixture of cholesterol, bilirubin with or without calcium. Based on their chemical composition, gallstones found in the gallbladder are classified as cholesterol, pigmented or mixed stones. Iron deficiency has been shown to alter the activity of several hepatic enzymes, leading to increased gallbladder bile cholesterol saturation and promotion of cholesterol crystal formation.
AIMS & OBJECTIVE
Attempt to establish a correlation with gallstones and decreased serum iron levels.
MATERIAL & METHODS
This study was a prospective cohort study which included 100 consecutive patients with imaging studies suggestive of Cholelithiasis. The Gallstone surgically removed was crushed with mortar and pestle and then analysed for cholesterol, calcium, phosphate and bilirubin (pigment). Serum samples were analysed for Cholesterol, iron and iron binding capacity.
RESULTS
86% patients had increased cholesterol levels (p=0.04) and 93% had decreased serum Iron levels (p=0.96). The most common type of gallstone was found to be Cholesterol type of gallstone followed by Mixed and Pigment gallstones.
CONCLUSION
Serum cholesterol levels were found to be raised in majority of the patients and serum iron was found to be low in these majority of the patients indicating iron deficiency may play a role in gallstone formation.
