The clinical burden of biliary disease: A global perspective

Abstract

Many biliary disorders are considered rare diseases (diseases affecting less than 50 per 100,000 inhabitants) according to the definition by the European Commission for Public Health. They still impose a burden on the patients affected and the health-care system. Although adequate population-based epidemiological studies on biliary diseases are scarce from several parts of the world, it is evident that there is a marked geographical variation in the incidence and prevalence rates of many of the conditions (Table 1.1). These observations are attributed to differences in the worldwide distribution of risk factors. Biliary diseases may be diagnosed in all age groups, even in the neonate. The disorders range from benign conditions with potential curative options, including liver transplantation, to devastating biliary tract cancers with very poor survival. Hopefully, ongoing efforts to elucidate the pathogenesis and define potential targets for therapy for biliary disorders will reduce the burden of these conditions in the future.