Changes in demographic features of gallstone disease: 30 years of surgically treated patients

The aim of this study was to investigate changes in the clinical and demographical characteristics of gallstone disease in Korea, based on 30 years of surgically treated patients at a single institute.

In total, 7,949 gallstone patients who underwent surgery between 1981 and 2010 were analyzed. Patients were divided into six time periods: period I (1981 to 1985, n=831), period II (1986 to 1990, n=888), period III (1991 to 1995, n=1,040), period IV (1996 to 2000, n=1,261), period V (2001 to 2005, n=1,651) and period VI (2006 to 2010, n=2,278).

The total number and mean age of the patients gradually increased, and the male/female ratio decreased. The proportion of gallbladder (GB)-stone cases increased, whereas the proportions of common bile duct (CBD)- and intrahepatic duct (IHD)-stone cases decreased. Differences in patient geographical origins also decreased. Based on the relationship between changes in the prevalence of gallstone disease and socioeconomic status, the prevalence of CBD stones showed a strong correlation with Engel's coefficient (p<0.001).

Our study indicates that although the total number of cases and the mean age of gallstone patients have continuously increased, there are trends of increasing GB-stone cases and decreasing CBD- and IHD-stone cases.