Epidemiology Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Epidemiology, including details on twin studies, statistics, environmental and genetic factors.

Sclerosing cholangitis epidemiology and etiology.

Lazaridis KN

Center for Basic Research in Digestive Diseases, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. lazaridis.konstantinos@mayo.edu

Sclerosing cholangitis represents a spectrum of chronic biliary diseases that either has an unknown etiology (i.e., primary) or is caused by identifiable insults to the biliary tree (i.e., secondary). To date, the epidemiology of primary sclerosing cholangitis has been appraised; however, its etiology continues to be unclear. In contrast, the etiology of secondary sclerosing cholangitis is always known, but the epidemiology of this clinical entity is difficult to study.

Published 6 February 2008 in J Gastrointest Surg, 12(3): 417-9.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2005-2008 Epidemiology Research Today. All Rights Reserved.