Gallbladder abnormalities in acute infectious hepatitis. A prospective study.

We have studied the gallbladder and its contents by ultrasonography in 31 patients with acute viral hepatitis and 23 age-matched controls. Liver cell necrosis was assessed by raised transaminase levels within 24-48 hr of ultrasonography in all patients. Gallbladder wall (GBW) measured 5.16 +/- 0.4 mm (mean +/- SEM) in patients and 2.0 +/- 0.06 mm in controls (P less than 0.001). GBW was thickened (greater than 3 mm) in 21 patients (68%), with double wall appearance in 5 (16%), and sludge was seen in the gallbladder cavity in 7 (23%). GBW thickness was significantly related to serum albumin (r = -0.45, P less than 0.01) and bilirubin (r = 0.50, P less than 0.004), but not to the serum transaminase levels. On repeat measurements after recovery in 13 patients, GBW thickness fell from 5.84 +/- 0.49 mm during acute hepatitis to 2.46 +/- 0.21 mm (P less than 0.001).