Epidemiology of acute cholecystitis and its treatment in Bergamo District, Northern Italy.
BACKGROUND
Acute calcolous cholecystitis (ACC) is a very common pathology in western countries. The aim of our work was to assess the epidemiology of ACC and its treatment in Bergamo, a northern Italy province, during the last seventeen years.


METHODS
A restrospective analysis, covering 1997 to 2013, was performed based on the administrative register of the province Health System. Only patients admitted for ACC were selected. From 1997 to 2013 were collected 8959 cases of ACC, mean age was 61.28, 51.5% were male.


RESULTS
The incidence of ACC was 48/100.000 per year; the operation rate was 66%. Overall mortality was 0.7%, mean hospitalization time was 9.7 days. The treatment of ACC in Bergamo Province seemed to be acceptable and comparable to literature results. Over the last years, laparoscopy has become the standard treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
This study outlined some criticisms on the selection's methodology sourcing data from administrative registers, raising questions about truthfulness of results and usefulness for health policy issues.
General Surgery Unit, Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital, Bergamo, Italy - marco.ceresoli89@gmail.com.
Marco
M
Ceresoli
Alberto
A
Zucchi
Michele
M
Pisano
Andrea
A
Allegri
Paolo
P
Bertoli
Federico
F
Coccolini
Chiara
C
Falcone
Roberto
R
Manfredi
Giulia
G
Montori
Gabriela
G
Nita
Dario
D
Piazzalunga
Giorgio
G
Barbaglio
Luca
L
Ansaloni
D042101:Acalculous Cholecystitis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic / Q000379:methods / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D041881:Cholecystitis, Acute / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D061887:Conversion to Open Surgery / Q000379:methods / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome