title: Clinical presentations of patients from different age cohorts with biliary tract stone diseases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The role of clinical symptoms, transabdominal ultrasound scan (USS), and liver function tests (LFTs) in evaluating common bile duct (CBD) stones in patients suspected to have pancreatobiliary disease has been studied. However, it is unclear whether these predictive models are useful in different age cohorts. The aim of this study is to investigate the clinical presentations from different age cohorts with and without CBD stones.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four hundred and forty-three patients with pancreatobiliary diseases were divided into cohorts according to decades as follows: young (Y, 18-64 years old, n = 143), young-old (YO, 65-74 years old, n = 168), old-old (OO, 75-84 years old, n = 97), and very old (VO, ≥ 85 years old, n = 35). The clinical symptoms, LFTs, and USS findings were demonstrated and compared among patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Y- and YO-group patients were more likely to develop symptoms such as biliary colic in the presence of CBD stones. The proportion of abnormal serum aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase were significantly greater in Y-, YO-, and OO-group patients with than in those without CBD stones. Sensitivity of USS for CBD stones in Y: 0.15; YO: 0.45; OO: 0.57; and VO: 0.68. Accuracy of USS for detected CBD stone in Y: 48%; YO: 62.5%; OO: 70.1%; and VO: 71.4%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Combined evaluation of clinical symptoms, biochemical and USS findings may help predict the presence of CBD stones. In Y, YO, and OO patients with CBD stones, the incidences of abnormal LFTs were higher. The sensitivity and accuracy of USS in detecting CBD stones were increased according to age.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mackay Memorial Hospital, New Taipei, Taiwan; Healthy Evaluation Center, Mackay Memorial Hospital, New Taipei, Taiwan; Mackay Junior College of Medicine, Nursing and Management, New Taipei, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, New Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Kuang-Chun
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Horng-Yuan
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wen-Hsiung
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Cheng-Hsin
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Shee-Chan
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Chun-Jen
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ming-Shiang
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Shou-Chuan
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Shih
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D042883:Choledocholithiasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase
keywords: aging; common bile duct stone; endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography; liver function test; transabdominal ultrasound scan