Biliary composition and excretion in Chinese and its relationship to cholelithiasis. II. Epidemiological and pathological studies
Journal
Journal of the Formosan Medical Association
Journal Volume
78
Journal Issue
8
Pages
670
Date Issued
1979
Author(s)
Abstract
Eighty five cases of cholelithiasis among 5,141 autopsies performed at National Taiwan University Hospital from 1943 through 1977 and 1,318 cases of gallstone operations among 35,741 general surgical cases from 1950 through 1976 were analyzed and the following conclusions were obtained: The overall autopsy incidence of 5.95% was d5.95% for those over 10 years of age and 6.70% for those over 20 years of age. The increase in the prevalence of cholelithiasis in Taiwan, gradually before 1965 and more drastically from 1966 to 1977 was supported by both autopsy and surgical evidence. The mixed stones increased more rapidly than the pigment stones, particularly during the last 5 years when the increasing trend of pigment stones declined. The incidence of gallstones increased with age. The age distribution of surgical cases indicated that although much overlapping was noted, the muddy pigment stones tended to affect the younger group, mixed stones the older group, while formed pigment stones came in between. Female predominance of gallstones was found in both autopsy series (female to male ratio of 1.77) and surgical series (a ratio of 1.88 when correction was made for the sex ratio of general surgical patients). The pathological conditions associated with cholelithiasis and their interrelationship were summarized from our autopsy and surgical materials. Mixed stones affected primarily the gall-bladder, muddy pigment stones the biliary tract other than the gall-bladder, while formed pigment stones affected both locations equally.
Type
journal article