Ultrasonographic evidence of gallbladder wall thickening in association with hypoalbuminemia.

Retrospective evaluation of 125 consecutive gallbladder sonograms was done to determine the conditions under which a thickened gallbladder wall is identified. The population studied included a large number of chronic alcoholics. Forty-two patients (Group A) had thickened (greater than or equal to 3 mm) gallbladder walls, while 48 patients (Group B) had walls of normal thickness. Forty patients in Group A had markedly depressed serum albumin levles, significantly lower (p less than 0.001) than albumin levels in Group B. Ten patients in Group B had cholecystitis, compared to two in Group A. The authors conclude that a thick gallbladder wall can be seen in severe hypoalbuminemic states in the absence of acute or chronic cholecystitis.