Impaired gallbladder motility and delayed orocecal transit contribute to pigment gallstone and biliary sludge formation in β -thalassemia major adults

Table 1 Laboratory biochemistry in β -thalassemia major patients with gallstones, biliary sludge and gallstone-free

	Gallstones	Sludge	Gallstone/ sludge-free	P
No. of subjects	7	6	10
Total bilirubin (mg/dL)	2.3 ± 0.4	1.4 ± 0.4	1.8 ± 0.3	NS
AST (U/L)	50.9 ± 11.5	32.8 ± 12.5	44.9 ± 9.7	NS
ALT (U/L)	76.7 ± 17.7	42.7 ± 19.1	59.8 ± 14.8	NS
Ferritin (mg/dL)	1 922 ± 445	1 165 ± 481	1 900 ± 372	NS
Hb (g/dL)	9.3 ± 0.1	9.5 ± 0.2	9.5 ± 0.1	NS
Iron (mg/dL)	186.8 ± 16.8	189.6 ± 8.4	156.5 ± 16.8	NS
Total proteins (g/dL)	7.8 ± 0.2	7.9 ± 0.2	7.4 ± 0.2	NS
GGT (U/L)	34.4 ± 5.6	18.3 ± 6.0	19.4 ± 4.7	NS
Alk. Phosphatase (U/L)	1.15 ± 0.2	0.98 ± 0.2	0.9 ± 0.2	NS
LDH (U/L)	331.3 ± 46.7	293.7 ± 36.7	310.7 ± 28.4	NS
Cholesterol (mg/dL)	98.3 ± 10.2	129.4 ± 12.1	96.9 ± 9.0	NS
Tryglicerides (mg/dL)	114.9 ± 23.5	71.6 ± 27.9	84.4 ± 22.0	NS

Data are expressed as mean ± SE; NS: Not significant; AST: As-partate transaminase; ALT: Alanine transaminase; GGT: Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase; LDH: Lactate dehydrogenase.