Gallstones were detected by
ultrasonography in 30/226 (13 per cent)
children with SS
disease,
aged 5-13 years, participating in a
cohort study from
birth.
Children with
gallstones had significantly lower total haemoglobin and foetal haemoglobin and higher
bilirubin levels. Further
analysis revealed that the apparent effects of Hb and HbF were
secondary to their relationship with
bilirubin levels.
Abdominal pain crises were significantly associated with
gallstones but both factors appeared to reflect an increased clinical severity and were probably not casually related. No
patient had symptoms specific for
gallstones. An
association with
abdominal pain crisis should not, of itself, be considered an indication for
surgery (AU)