TY - JOUR
T1 - The epidemiology of cholelithiasis in southern Italy
AU - Misciagna, Giovanni
AU - Leoci, Claudio
AU - Elba, Silvana
AU - Petruzzi, Jose
AU - Guerra, Vito
AU - Mossa, Ascanio
AU - Noviello, Maria Rosaria
AU - Coviello, Angelo
AU - Capece-Minutolo, Marino
AU - Giorgio, Italo
PY - 1994
Y1 - 1994
N2 - Objective: To describe the prevalence and incidence of gallstones in a population sample from a typical Mediterranean area. Subjects and methods: A sample of 3500 subjects (2000 men and 1500 women, aged 30–69 years) was selected by systematic sampling from the electoral register of Castellana, a small town in southern Italy. Between May 1985 and June 1986, 2472 (70.6%) subjects (1429 men and 1043 women) had their gall bladders checked for gallstones by ultrasonography. Between May 1992 and June 1993, 1962 (87.7%) of the subjects without gallstones (1162 men and 800 women) agreed to be re-examined by ultrasonography. Results: A total of 226 subjects (92 men and 134 women) had gallstones, a prevalence rate of 9.2% (6.5 and 12.9% in men and women, respectively). On re-examination, 104 subjects (55 men and 49 women) had developed gallstones; an incidence rate of 7.9 per 1000 person-years (7.1 and 9.1 per 1000 person-years in men and women, respectively). Prevalence and incidence increased with age in both sexes but were higher in women than in men at all ages. Conclusion: This study suggests that the population of Castellana has a high incidence of cholelithiasis compared with populations studied in central and northern Italy and northern Europe.
AB - Objective: To describe the prevalence and incidence of gallstones in a population sample from a typical Mediterranean area. Subjects and methods: A sample of 3500 subjects (2000 men and 1500 women, aged 30–69 years) was selected by systematic sampling from the electoral register of Castellana, a small town in southern Italy. Between May 1985 and June 1986, 2472 (70.6%) subjects (1429 men and 1043 women) had their gall bladders checked for gallstones by ultrasonography. Between May 1992 and June 1993, 1962 (87.7%) of the subjects without gallstones (1162 men and 800 women) agreed to be re-examined by ultrasonography. Results: A total of 226 subjects (92 men and 134 women) had gallstones, a prevalence rate of 9.2% (6.5 and 12.9% in men and women, respectively). On re-examination, 104 subjects (55 men and 49 women) had developed gallstones; an incidence rate of 7.9 per 1000 person-years (7.1 and 9.1 per 1000 person-years in men and women, respectively). Prevalence and incidence increased with age in both sexes but were higher in women than in men at all ages. Conclusion: This study suggests that the population of Castellana has a high incidence of cholelithiasis compared with populations studied in central and northern Italy and northern Europe.
KW - Gallstones
KW - Incidence
KW - Prevalence
KW - Southern Italy
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M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0027965979
VL - 6
SP - 937
EP - 941
JO - European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology
JF - European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology
SN - 0954-691X
IS - 10
ER -