Incidence of cholecystolithiasis in women employed by industrial workplaces in Szczecin

• Published in: Roczniki Pomorskiej Akademii Medycznej im. gen. KarolaŚwierczewskiego w Szczecinie Vol. 40; p. 159
• Main Author: Tarnowska, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Polish
• Published: Poland 1994
• Subjects: Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Cholelithiasis - diagnostic imaging; Cholelithiasis - epidemiology; Cholelithiasis - etiology; Contraceptives, Oral - adverse effects; Family Health; Female; Humans; Incidence; Middle Aged; Obesity - complications; Parity; Poland - epidemiology; Risk Factors; Ultrasonography
• ISSN: 1427-440X

Making use of the possibility that is provided by the ultrasonic technique applied for epidemiological examinations of cholelithiasis, 1339 women, aged 20-69 years, employed at two "typical feminine" working places in Szczecin were investigated. The purpose of the paper was to perform sonographic studies of the gallbladders in women employed in "typical feminine" clothing industry establishments of Szczecin, in order to estimate the incidence rate of cholecystolithiasis in the studied population--types of cholelithiasis risk factors,--relationship between the changes revealed at sonographic examination and clinical symptoms. Cholelithiasis was diagnosed in 232 women, i.e. in 17.33% of the examined. The incidence rate was rising with the age from 1.66% of cases among those aged 20-29 years to 35.29% among women 60-69 years old. Successive significant risk factors appeared to be overweight in as many as 72.8% of the studied females with calculosis, and also past three or more pregnancies and miscarriages. The use of oral anticonceptive drugs as well as positive family anamnesis was of lesser, but of significant importance. Asymptomatic calculosis was disclosed in 173, whereas the other 273 studied women were found to have symptomatic calculosis. No relation was recorded between the number as well as the size of deposits in the gallbladders, and the presence of ailments or their absence. More frequent incidence of cholelithiasis in female population was encountered than that reported by West-European authors. Also more frequent appearance of symptomatic calculosis was evidenced than it is generally published in literature.