Abstract
This paper attempts to deduce the prevalence of gallstones by the use of previously published necropsy data. These data are interpreted as suggesting that the incidence of gallstone development is similar in North America, Australia, Great Britain, and Norway and is largely independent of age between the third and eighth decades.
Data are also presented which may imply that the total mortality for gallstones or non-malignant gallbladder disease is not greatly influenced by increasing the treatment rate from the present level in the United Kingdom.
It is believed that this evidence does not support the view that widely differing treatment rates for gallstones reflect differences in the prevalence of the disease.
Full text
PDFSelected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- CLELAND J. B. Gall-stones in seven thousand post-mortem examinations. Med J Aust. 1953 Sep 26;2(13):488–489. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Comess L. J., Bennett P. H., Burch T. A. Clinical gallbladder disease in Pima Indians. Its high prevalence in contrast to Framingham, Massachusetts. N Engl J Med. 1967 Oct 26;277(17):894–898. doi: 10.1056/NEJM196710262771702. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Friedman G. D., Kannel W. B., Dawber T. R. The epidemiology of gallbladder disease: observations in the Framingham Study. J Chronic Dis. 1966 Mar;19(3):273–292. doi: 10.1016/0021-9681(66)90132-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Holland C., Heaton K. W. Increasing frequency of gall bladder operations in the Bristol clinical area. Br Med J. 1972 Sep 16;3(5828):672–675. doi: 10.1136/bmj.3.5828.672. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Hwang W. S. Cholelithiasis in Singapore. I. A necropsy study. Gut. 1970 Feb;11(2):141–148. doi: 10.1136/gut.11.2.141. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- LIEBER M. M. The incidence of gallstones and their correlation with other diseases. Ann Surg. 1952 Mar;135(3):394–405. doi: 10.1097/00000658-195203000-00011. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Milner J., Hewitt D. The occurrence and treatment of gallbladder disease in Ontario. J Chronic Dis. 1972 Feb;25(2):73–83. doi: 10.1016/0021-9681(72)90143-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Nakayama F., Miyake H. Changing state of gallstone disease in Japan. Composition of the stones and treatment of the condition. Am J Surg. 1970 Dec;120(6):794–799. doi: 10.1016/s0002-9610(70)80052-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Plant J. C., Percy I., Bates T., Gastard J., de Nercy Y. H. Incidence of gallbladder disease in Canada, England, and France. Lancet. 1973 Aug 4;2(7823):249–251. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(73)93148-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Seltzer M. H., Steiger E., Rosato F. E. Mortality following cholecystectomy. Surg Gynecol Obstet. 1970 Jan;130(1):64–66. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Vayda E. A comparison of surgical rates in Canada and in England and Wales. N Engl J Med. 1973 Dec 6;289(23):1224–1229. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197312062892305. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]