Gallstones in sickle cell disease: observations from the Jamaican Cohort study

ABSTRACT

The prevalence, incidence, risk factors, clinical associations, and morbidity of gallstones were studied in 311 patients with homozygous sickle cell disease and 167 patients with sickle cell-hemoglobin C disease in a cohort study from birth. Gallstones developed in 96 patients with homozygous sickle cell disease and 18 patients with sickle cell-hemoglobin C disease; specific symptoms necessitating cholecystectomy occurred in only 7 patients with homozygous sickle cell disease.(AU)