Correlation between the Chemical Components of Gallstones and Sera of Stone Formers

Abstract

Background: Major elements involved in the formation of human gallstones are cholesterol, bile pigment and calcium. These substances are normally found in the blood. This study was aimed to find out the frequency of different type of gallstones and correlation between the components of gallstones and sera of stone formers.

Material & Methods: Fifty gallstones and blood samples were collected and analyzed from patients admitted for cholecystectomy to Rizgary Teaching Hospital, Erbil, Iraq, from July 2008 to December 2008.

Results: In 50 gallstone, 27(54%) were cholesterol stones, 20(40%) mixed and 3(6%) pigment stones. Female to male ratio was 8:1 and the predominant age of stone formers was 31-60 years. There was significantly negative correlation between serum cholesterol and that of cholesterol and pigment gall stones (r=-0.730 and -0.999). There was significant positive correlation between serum bilirubin and pigment gallstones (r=0.812). Inorganic phosphate in serum was moderately correlated to that in cholesterol and mixed gallstones (r=0.377 and 0.178) with significant negative correlation in case of pigment stones (r=-0.845). Moderate positive and negative correlation was found for calcium in case of three stones (r=0.202, r=-0.213 and -0.210).

Conclusion: In Erbil the occurrence of cholesterol gallstones is high as compared to mixed and pigment gallstones. Our results indicated low, moderate and high positive or negative correlation between the chemical constituents of gallstones and sera of stone formers suggesting the different aetiology of the cholesterol, mixed and pigment stones.