The prevalence of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis in Korea.
OBJECTIVE
To identify the prevalence of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) in a large Asian population group.


METHODS
A total of 3595 subjects (1616 men and 1979 women) over 50 years of age, residing in 2 cities in Korea, were included in this study. The mean age of the study population was 64.25 +/- 9.06 years. We reviewed lateral chest radiographs through Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS) and identified DISH according to Resnick's and Julkunen's criteria.


RESULTS
One hundred and four (2.9%) of the 3595 subjects were diagnosed with DISH according to classical Resnick criteria. A slight increase in prevalence (4.1%) could be seen using Julkunen's criteria. The prevalence of DISH increased with age, except for the 90-99 year age group. Men were approximately 7 times more likely to have DISH than women using Resnick's criteria.


CONCLUSIONS
DISH is an age-related skeletal disorder whose overall prevalence is much lower in Koreans than in other Western populations. Interestingly, the prevalence of DISH was 7 times higher in men. We propose that ethnic factors are important elements in the prevalence of DISH.
Kim
Seong-Kyu
SK
The Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Choi
Byung-Ryul
BR
Kim
Chae-Gi
CG
Chung
Seung-Hie
SH
Choe
Jung-Yoon
JY
Joo
Kyung-Bin
KB
Bae
Sang-Cheol
SC
Yoo
Dae-Hyun
DH
Jun
Jae-Bum
JB
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D004057:Hyperostosis, Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000473:pathology; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged