Gallstones in Ghanaian children with sickle cell disease.
OBJECTIVE
This prospective, cross-sectional study was done to define the prevalence and age of onset of gallstones in Ghanaina children with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) in steady state, using ultrasonography.


METHODS
The study was conducted at the Paediatric SCD clinic, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana. Three hundred and fifteen (315) children comprising 162 males and 153 females aged 2 to 13 years with a confirmed diagnosis of SCD of haemoglobin SS, (HbSS), Haemoglobin SC, (HbSC) or Haemoglobin S-betathalassemia (SbetaThal) genotype whose parents/guardians gave informed conset, were recruited consecutively. The main outcome measure was the detection of gallstones in the gall bladder or common bile duct by ultrasonography.


RESULTS
Thirteen children, 12 males and 1 female had gallstone, giving an overall prevalence of 4%. The youngest was aged 6. Four children had sludge only. Peak age of prevalence was 12 years. All patients under 12 years with gallstone were males (92.3%). The very high male: female ratio in these sickle cell disease children is at variance with the normal male: female ratio of 1:4.6. Although twenty percent of all the patients were genotype SC, only one SC patient had gallstones, giving a prevalence rate of 0.3%, and a prevalence ratio of stone in SS: SC of 12:1. Twenty patients had no spleen detectable clinically or on ultrasoound examination and none of them had gallstones.


CONCLUSIONS
Gallstones occur at an early age in children with sickle cell disease in Ghana.
Darko
R
R
Department of Surgery, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana.
Rodrigues
O P
OP
Oliver-Commey
J O
JO
Kotei
C N
CN
D000293:Adolescent; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000150:complications*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D042882:Gallstones / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005869:Ghana / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014463:Ultrasonography