J Neurogastroenterol Motil.  2016 Jul;22(3):470-476. 10.5056/jnm15159.

Impaired Gallbladder Motility and Increased Gallbladder Wall Thickness in Patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

• Colak Y
• Bozbey G
• Erim T
• Caklili OT
• Ulasoglu C
• Senates E
• Mutlu HH
• Mesci B
• DoÄŸan MS
• Tasan G
• Enc FY
• Tuncer I

• KMID: 2327952
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5056/jnm15159

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is currently the most common chronic liver disease worldwide. Along with the increase in the incidence of NAFLD and associated obesity, an increase in gallbladder disease (GD) has been noted. This has led to the identification of a new disease entity called fatty GD. There is a gap in the literature on the dynamics of gallbladder function in patients with NAFLD.
METHODS
An observational case-control study, a total of 50 patients with biopsy proven NAFLD without gallbladder stone/sludge and 38 healthy comparison subjects were enrolled. Fasting, postprandial gallbladder volumes (PGV), gallbladder ejection fraction (GEF), and fasting gallbladder wall thickness (FGWT) were measured by real-time 2-dimensional ultrasonography.
RESULTS
Fasting gallbladder wall thickness, fasting gallbladder volumes and PGV were significantly higher in patients with NAFLD than control subjects (P < 0.001, P = 0.006, and P < 0.001, respectively). Gallbladder ejection fraction was significantly lower in the NAFLD group than the controls (P = 0.008). The presence of NAFLD was an independent predictor for GEF, PGV, and FGWT. Also, steatosis grade was an independent predictor for GEF, and GEF was significantly lower in the nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) subgroup than the controls.
CONCLUSIONS
Gallbladder dysfunction and increase in gallbladder wall thickness exists in asymptomatic (without stone/sludge and related symptoms) patients with NAFLD and are useful in identifying fatty GD. Measurement of these variables in NAFLD patients may be useful in identifying those at higher risk for GD.

Keyword

Gallbladder; Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; Physiopathology

MeSH Terms

Biopsy
Case-Control Studies
Fasting
Gallbladder Diseases
Gallbladder*
Humans
Incidence
Liver Diseases
Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease*
Obesity
Ultrasonography