Background: Cholelithiasis is a common hepatobiliary disorder with multifactorial etiology involving metabolic, inflammatory, and oxidative mechanisms. Altered iron metabolism has been implicated in gallstone formation, with serum ferritin serving as a marker of body iron stores and inflammation. However, limited data exist on their combined role in cholelithiasis, necessitating further evaluation to understand their clinical and pathophysiological significance. Aims: To evaluate serum ferritin levels in patients with cholelithiasis and to analyze their association with disease characteristics. Materials and Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted over a period of 9 months and included 40 patients diagnosed with cholelithiasis based on clinical and radiological findings. Serum ferritin levels were measured using immunoassay techniques. Demographic data, clinical features, and relevant biochemical parameters were recorded. Statistical analysis was performed to determine the association between ferritin levels and clinical variables, with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: The mean serum ferritin level was significantly elevated in patients with cholelithiasis, suggesting altered iron metabolism and possible inflammatory activity. A positive correlation was noted between elevated serum ferritin levels expression, indicating dysregulation of iron homeostasis at both systemic and cellular levels. Patients with higher ferritin levels also demonstrated more pronounced inflammatory changes in histopathological examination. The findings were statistically significant (p < 0.05), supporting the role of iron metabolism in gallstone disease pathogenesis. Conclusion: Alterations in iron metabolism, reflected by elevated serum ferritin may contribute to the pathogenesis of cholelithiasis. This could serve as potential indicators of disease activity and underlying inflammatory processes. Further large-scale studies are required to validate their role and explore therapeutic implications targeting iron regulation in gallstone disease.

Cholelithiasis, Gallstones, Inflammation, Iron Metabolism, Serum Ferritin