Background:  There was a debate whether hypothyroidism could lead to cholelithiasis over the last few decades. Recent studies showed that disturbances in lipid metabolism combined hypothyroid status, particularly of a cholesterol pathway and changes in the rate of bile excretion which could lead to the formation of gall stones. Recently, the pro-relaxing effect of serum total thyroxin (T4) on both human and pig sphincter of Oddi (SO) has been proven.

Objective: To assess the prevalence of hypothyroidism in patients with gall stones and try to establish hypothyroidism as a possible etiological factor for gallstones formation.

Methods: A cross sectional study was carried on in Basrah Teaching Hospital involving a 232 patients with gallstones whom admitted to the hospital during the period from April 2016 to October 2017. All patients were assessed by detailed clinical history and examination with appropriate   investigations in form of abdominal USS, thyroid function tests and lipid profile. 

Results: Out of 232 patients of gallstone, 200 patients were euthyroid and 32 patients were hypothyroidism, 22 patients were diagnosed as subclinical hypothyroidism and 10 patients were diagnosed as clinical hypothyroidism. Regarding lipid profile, 175(75.4%) of patients with gall stone had increased lipid profile, while 57(24.6%) had normal lipid profile.

Conclusion:  Hypothyroidism which may lead to elevation of serum lipid profile and thus act as a cause of gall stone formation.

Keywords: Gall stone disease, Hypothyroidism, Prevalence.

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Prof. Mohammed H. Al-Jawher

Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Basrah, Basrah, Iraq

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