Causes of jaundice in elderly patients

The aim of present study was stating the cause of jaundice among patients over 65 years old treated in the medical and surgery departments of two clinics in the years 1985-1987. During the three years 247 cases of jaundice of various etiology excluding virus hepatitis were found. It was stated that the most frequent cause of jaundice in patients over 65 years was cholelithiasis (36.6%). The second subsequent cause was cancer (31%), especially that of gallbladder. Among the group of patients up to 65 years treated in medical departments, the most frequent cause of jaundice was cancer (27.3%) and the subsequent cause was cholelithiasis (21.3%). In the department of surgery, among the younger age group cholelithiasis was the most numerous cause of jaundice. Comparing our own examinations with similar ones undertaken 7 years earlier among patients from Wrocław, we can state a significant increase of cancer in the population of our town.