Ultrasound Prevalence of Gallbladder Disease in Hail, Saudi Arabia

Objective Cholestasis is one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders requiring hospitalization. While different factors influence gallstone formation, these factors are not the same in different cultures or geographical locations. We determined the prevalence of gallbladder disease as assessed by ultrasonography and its complications in Hail City, Saudi Arabia. Methods Patients who underwent emergency or elective abdominal ultrasonography at King Khalid Hospital, the largest tertiary hospital in the Hail region of Saudi Arabia, between January 2013 and December 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. Results Of the 4552 patients analyzed, 494 (10.9 %) had gallstones. Of these 494 patients, 173 (35 %) were male, 321 (65 %) were female and 337 (68.2 %) were aged greater than35 years. Three hundred twenty-six patients (66 %) had multiple stones, whereas 168 patients (34 %) had a single stone. Marked and mild wall thickening were found in 180 patients (36.4 %) and 155 patients (31.4 %), respectively. Common bile duct dilatation was present in 36 patients (7.3 %), fatty liver in 106 patients (21.5 %), hepatomegaly in 36 patients (7.3 %), cirrhosis in 20 patients (4 %) and ascites in 21 patients (4.3 %). Of the 494 patients, 335 (67.8 %) were symptomatic. Saudi females had the highest prevalence of gallbladder disease (60.1 %) followed by Saudi males (31.6 %), non-Saudi females (4.9 %), and non-Saudi males (3.8 %). Conclusion The prevalence of gallbladder disease was higher in Hail City compared with other cities in Saudi Arabia