Publication:

Evaluation of thyroid profile in biliary tract stones

Background In the course of clinical practice it has been observed that a no. of patients with biliary tract stones have hypothyroidism in their medical history. The prevalence of hypothyroidism is increased in patients of choledocholithiasis than in cholelithiasis patients.

Aims and objectives To find the prevalence of hypothyroidism in patients of cholelithiasis and choledocholithiasis.

Methods This study was conducted in post graduate dept. of surgery, SMHS over a period of 2 years on a total of 100 patients, 50 diagnosed as having cholelithiasis and 50 having choledocholithiasis. A complete history, detailed clinical examination followed by evaluation as per protocol was done.

Results There was an increased prevalence of choledocholithiasis with increasing age (max. pts. in age group 51-60) with female predominance in patients diagnosed as choledocholithiasis, thereby implying increasing age and female gender as risk factors for choledocholithiasis. There was a prevalence of 16% of hypothyroidism in patients of choledocholithiasis in comparison to 8% in cholelithiasis group with subclinical hypothyroidism present in maximum no. of patients (75%).

Conclusions Hypothyroidism is more common in the choledocholithiasis patients as compared to cholelithiasis group, with female predominance and with subclinical variant in maximum No. of patients which support the hypothesis that hypothyroidism might play a role in the formation of CBD stones.