| 摘要 |
Background/Introduction: Urolithiasis is a common disease with high prevalence
and recurrence rates in Taiwan. A national survey in Taiwan determined that 9.6% of the population suffered stones throughout their lifetime.
Purpose/Aim: This study analyzed the epidemiological characteristics and patterns of inpatient treatment for urolithiasis and thus provides a reference for the implementation of future health strategies.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using data collected from the Inpatient Expenditures by Admissions and Registry for Contracted Medical Facilities files of the National Health Insurance Research Database. A total of 40,027 patients were included in the final data analysis. SPSS 22.0 statistical software was used to analyze the epidemiological characteristics and corresponding treatments for each patient group.
Results: The average age of the inpatients with urolithiasis was 52±14 years, with a male-tofemale sex ratio of 2.4:1. The highest admission rate occurred between July and August (10.4-10.6%). Ureteral stones were the most common (76.4%), followed by kidney stones (15.8%), bladder stones (7.5%), and urethral stones (0.4%). Moreover, 57.4% of the patients were treated at regional hospitals and 27.5% were treated at medical centers. Of the 4531 urolithiasis
examinations conducted, 63.6% involved intravenous urography, 21.8% abdominal sonography, and 5.9% retrograde pyelography. In total, 13,610 treatments were performed in the 40,027 inpatients with urolithiasis, with a surgical treatment rate of 34%. Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) is the most commonly used treatment for patients with renal or ureteral stones with an annual medical expenditure of nearly NT $3 billion. Regional hospitals conducted the highest number of ESWL treatment for inpatients with stones, whereas medical
centers conducted more percutaneous nephrostomy lithotripsy than did regional hospitals.
Conclusion: This study reveals patterns in the epidemiology and utilization of medical resources for inpatients with urolithiasis and provides a basis for the implementation of stone treatment guidelines in Taiwan. |
