A cross-sectional study of the prevalence of gallbladder wall thickening among adult patients with serologically proven Dengue Fever who underwent ultrasound of the gallbladder

Dengue fever is endemic to the Philippines, and affects millions of people every year. The Department of Health (DOH) recorded 55,079 suspected dengue cases from January 1 to August 8, 2015. This is 9.15% higher than the 50,462 cases recorded during the same period in 2014. Dengue is said to be notorious for its deceptive presentation due to its effect on almost every system of the human body, which includes the gallbladder. It causes thickening of the gallbladder wall due to the increased vascular permeability leading to leakage of high protein containing fluid. Ultrasound is a relatively simple procedure that can determine the thickness of the gallbladder and used as a first line imaging modality in patients with suspected DHF to detect early signs that are suggestive of the disease. This study aims to determine possible correlation between gallbladder wall thickening with the presence of dengue fever or its severity.