THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF CHOLELITHIASIS IN SOUTHERN ITALY

Objective: To describe the prevalence and incidence of gallstones in a population sample from a typical Mediterranean area. Subjects and met hods: A sample of 3500 subjects (2000 men and 1500 women, aged 30-69 y ears) was selected by systematic sampling from the electoral register of Castellana, a small town in southern Italy. Between May 1985 and Ju ne 1986, 2472 (70.6%) subjects (1429 men and 1043 women) had their gal l 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. Result s: A total of 226 subjects (92 men and 134 women) had gallstones, a pr evalence 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 ga llstones; 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 th an in men at all ages. Conclusions: This study suggests that the popul ation of Castellana has a high incidence of cholelithiasis compared wi th populations studied in central and northern Italy and northern Euro pe.