Risk factors for symptomatic gallstones in children: A single-center experience
Sefa Sağ
, Gülce Kadakal Köken, Gonca Gerçel, Furkan Adem Canbaz
Department of Pediatric Surgery, Sancaktepe Şehit Prof. Dr. İlhan Varank Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Türkiye
Keywords: Children, cholecystectomy, cholelithiasis, obesity.
Abstract
Objectives: The objective of the study was to evaluate the demographic characteristics and possible additional risk factors for cholecystitis in patients who applied to a pediatric surgery clinic with symptomatic cholelithiasis and underwent cholecystectomy.
Patients and methods: The retrospective study included 28 pediatric patients (8 males, 20 females; mean age: 15.4±2.4 years; range, 13 to 17 years) who underwent cholecystectomy due to symptomatic cholelithiasis between March 2020 and March 2025. Demographic characteristics, body mass index (BMI), family/personal history, clinical data (symptoms at diagnosis), laboratory tests (hemolytic screening, inflammatory markers, and liver function tests), imaging results, and pathology records of the patients were reviewed.
Results: The mean BMI was 25.7±5.09 kg/m2 (range, 18.9 to 37.0 kg/m2 ), with BMI >25 kg/m2 in 19 (67.8%) patients. No hematological disease was detected in any of the patients. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed in all patients. Histopathological examination of the specimens taken from the patients revealed chronic cholecystitis and cholesterol stones in the gallbladder lumen of all patients.
Conclusion: The present study indicated that obesity and the female sex may be risk factors for cholelithiasis in children. Future studies are needed on this subject.
Citation: Sağ S, Kadakal Köken G, Gerçel G, Canbaz FA. Risk factors for symptomatic gallstones in children: A single-center experience. Turkish J Ped Surg 2025;39(2):60-63. doi: 10.62114/JTAPS.2025.142.
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Idea/concept, design, critical review: S.S., F.A.C.; Data collection and/or processing: S.S., G.K.K.; Analysis and/or interpretation: S.S., G.G.; Literature review, writing the article, control/supervision: S.S.; References and fundings: G.G., G.K.K.
The authors declared no conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article.
The authors received no financial support for the research and/or authorship of this article.