Acute cholecystitis in patients with stroke

Background: Although acute cholecystitis after stroke is rare, an immediate diagnosis and treatment is required. Material and Methods: In the past five years, we observed six patients with acute cholecystitis during the initial hospitalization for stroke. Results: Three patients had cardiac embolism, two had subarachnoid hemorrhage, and one had intra-cerebral hemorrhage. Four had calculous cholecystitis and two had acalculous cholecystitis. One of the patients with acalculous cholecystitis had hemorrhagic cholecystitis. The most commonly presented symptom was fever (50%), whereas only one patient (17%) had abdominal pain. Three patients (50%) were completely asymptomatic. Conclusions: Acute cholecystitis and stroke are closely associated, and anti-thromboembolic drugs may cause hemorrhagic cholecystitis. Stroke patients tend to have atherosclerotic risk factors resulting in ischemic injury of the gallbladder. Furthermore, severe hemiparesis, a fasting state, dehydration, or bacteremia, which are occasionally exhibited by stroke patients, are known risk factors for acalculous cholecystitis. Stroke patients, especially patients with aphasia and consciousness disturbance, require immediate abdominal examination, if acute cholecystitis is suspected.