CLINICAL AND EPIDEMIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND RISK FACTOR STRUCTURE OF GALLSTONE DISEASE IN THE FERGANA REGION OF UZBEKISTAN
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Pearson's chi-square test, with differences considered significant at p < 0.05. Women accounted for 83.8% of the main group, and the mean age was 56.4 ± 12.8 years. The 61–86 year age band predominated, comprising 42.1% of women and 50.0% of men (χ² = 18.7; df = 3; p < 0.001). AAbstract
Gallstone disease (GSD) ranks third in prevalence after cardiovascular diseases
and type 2 diabetes mellitus, affecting 10–30% of the adult population in Europe and
North America, whereas its regional epidemiological structure in the Fergana Valley
of Uzbekistan has remained insufficiently studied. The aim of the present study was to
determine the sex and age distribution, alimentary risk factors and stage of clinical
presentation of gallstone disease in the Fergana region. A prospective observational
cohort study was conducted between 2021 and 2026 at the clinical base of the Fergana
Medical Institute of Public Health and the Fergana Regional Multidisciplinary
Hospital; the protocol was approved by the local ethics committee (decision No. 3/35
2352 of 09.04.2026). A total of 129 subjects were enrolled: the main group comprised
99 patients (83 women and 16 men, aged 18–86 years) with gallstone disease verified
References
Notably, 84.8% of patients in the main group required surgical or minimally
invasive intervention (χ² = 52.4; df = 3; p < 0.001), indicating that the majority
presented at a late, complicated stage of the disease. The findings demonstrate that
gallstone disease in the region predominantly affects women and individuals over 60
years of age and is typically diagnosed late, which substantiates the need to implement
a systematic non-invasive screening programme for high-risk groups within regional
primary health care.
