Gallbladder status among children with chronic hemolytic anemia attending Assiut University Children's Hospital

Background
One among the numerous comorbidities of chronic hemolytic anemia (CHA) is bladder stones. The extensive use of abdominal ultrasound in kids documented raised detection rate of gallstones.
Aim and objectives
To see the frequency of gallbladder diseases among kids with CHA and to see the risk factors of gallbladder diseases among patients with CHA attending Assiut University Children's hospital.
Patients and methods
This cross-sectional study included 50 kids with CHA aged from 1 to 18 years, who were admitted to the Hematology Unit at Assiut University Children's Hospital (from the start of December 2018 to the end of November 2019). All patients were evaluated by full history, general and abdominal examination, laboratory assessment, and ultrasound findings to find the probable risk factors for gallstones.
Results
The age of patients ranged from 1 year up to 18 years. The commonest age of bladder diseases detection was at 6 years. Twenty-one (42%) cases had gallbladder diseases. Bladder diseases were symptomatic in –81 with abdominal pain in affected kids. Thalassemia major was recorded more frequently (72%) in the studied group with 20 and 8% reporting sickle cell anemia and spherocytosis, respectively. The frequency of blood transfusion had statistical significance with gallbladder affection.
Conclusion
From this study, it can be concluded that the type of hemolytic disease, frequency of blood transfusion, history of hydroxy urea intake, and splenomegaly were risk factors for gallbladder affection in children with chronic hemolytic disease.