THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF PRIMARY BILIARY-CIRRHOSIS IN NORTH-EAST ENGLAND - AN INCREASINGLY COMMON DISEASE

  • 1 April 1990
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 75  (276) , 377-385
Abstract
The reported incidence and prevalence of primary biliary cirrhosis has rise in the past 10 years in Northern Europe. In order to determine whether this is a genuine increase in the disease or an apparent increase due to increased awareness of physicians and more ready diagnosis, we have carried out a comprehensive epidemiological study of primary biliary cirrhosis. All possible cases from 1965-1987 were examined using the best case finding methods available. In a relatively stable population of about 1.92 million we identified 471 patients with ''possible'' primary biliary cirrhosis and 347 with a definite, histologically confirmed, diagnosis. Prevalence rose from 18/1000000 in 1976 to 128.5/1000000 in 1987 (276/1000000 in women > 18 years). Increased awareness and availability of interested physicians seemed to be improtant contributing factors to the rise in prevalence. No important geographical clustering of cases was noted.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: