[Clinical and paraclinical features in diabetic patients cholecystectomized for gallstones].

UNLABELLED: Gallstones and diabetes mellitus represent a major economic burden especially when surgical treatment is involved.

AIM: The purpose of our study is to identify particular laboratory, imaging and pathological aspects that correlate with gallstones in diabetic patients that undergo cholecystectomy.

MATERIAL AND METHOD: This retrospective study enrolled 234 subjects diagnosed and treated through cholecystectomy for gallstones during 01.01-31.12.2008 at the 1" Surgical Clinic, Iaşi "St. Spiridon" Hospital. The subjects were divided into 2 groups comprising 62 patients diagnosed with diabetes mellitus and gallstones (group i), respectively 172 patients diagnosed only with gallstones (group II).

RESULTS

There is a statistically significant difference between the two groups regarding ASA class (p = 0.002), body mass index, leukocyte count, serum amylase (p = 0.001) and alanine-aminotransferase levels. Ultrasound examination revealed thickness of the gallbladder wall as an edematous aspect at 29.03% of the diabetic patients vs 13.95% nondiabetic patients and cholesterolotic appearance at 6.45% diabetics vs 2.91% nondiabetics. Pathological examination identified chronic cholecystitis at 88.96% of the diabetic and 70.97% of the nondiabetic patients; there was no significant difference regarding the gallbladder pathological aspects.

CONCLUSION

Diabetes mellitus does not appear to modify substantially the pathological course in patients with gallstones. There is a greater surgical risk for diabetic patients, possibly due to higher body weight and older age in this group and an increased risk for hepatopancreatic lesions.