Age aspects of morphological changes of gallbladder sheaths in acute cholecystitis

In this study, the analysis of morphological changes of the gallbladder was carried in patients with acute cholecystitis of four age groups: young (25-44), middle (45-59), old (60-74) and senile (75-89) age. In patients older than 50 years the more pronounced growth of dense connective tissue (p=0,028) and a higher degree of lymphocytic infiltration (p=0,045) was observed in the adventitia as compared to women younger than 50 years. In patients of the elderly and senile age in the mucosa the number of macrophages was higher than in women of the young and middle age (p= 0,03). In the old age group, the cross-sectional area of the nuclei of the surface epithelium was significantly higher than young women (p=0,018). These changes point to chronic protracted course of gallstone disease in women of older age groups and acute inflammation in patients of the younger age.