Background: Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection is a globally prevalent pathology and one of the leading cause of death and morbidity. Cholelithiasis is formation of stones inside the gall bladder lumen. This disorder is a major public health problem and increases in incidence in both genders and all races with aging. There are multiple factors that may contribute to the development of gallstones in patients with chronic HCV related liver disease.
Objective: To determine the frequency of cholelithiasis in patients with chronic hepatitis C and compare the frequency of cholelithiasis among cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic hepatitis C.
Study design: Cross sectional study.
Setting: Department of diagnostic radiology, PAEC general hospital H-11/4 Islamabad.
Duration: 6 months i.e., 30-1-2019 to 30-7-2019.
Data collection procedure: Patients fulfilled the study inclusion criteria were selected from OPD. The patients were divided into two groups. Cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic the control group. All the patients were assigned to ultrasound scanning. After that the frequency of cholelithiasis in group A and the control group is seen. Data was entered and analyzed using SPSS software version 17.0.
Results: The mean age of patients was 45.54 ± 14.38 years. There were 66 (47.1%) males and 74 (52.9%) females. In 70 (50%) patients who had cirrhotic HCV while 70 (50%) had non-cirrhotic HCV. In this study, 59 (52.1%) patients had cholelithiasis while 81 (57.9%) did not had cholelithiasis. In cirrhotic HCV patients, 42 (60%) patients had cholelithiasis while 28 (40%) did not had cholelithiasis. In non-cirrhotic HCV patients, 17 (24.3%) patients had cholelithiasis while 53 (75.7%) did not had cholelithiasis. The difference between both groups was significant (p<0.05).
Conclusion: Thus the frequency of cholelithiasis is high in HCV patients and significantly associated with HCV along with presence of cirrhosis.
