Evolução da incidência e prevalência da litíase na área da grande lisboa, por alteração dos fatores de risco

• Main Author: Monteiro, Ana Rita Caldeira
• Publication Date: 2014
• Format: Master thesis
• Language: por
• Source: Repositórios Científicos de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (RCAAP)
• Download full: http://hdl.handle.net/10071/10187
• topic: Epidemiology; Urinary-stones; Life style; Economic crisis; Epidemiologia; Litíase-urinária; Estilo de vida; Crise económica

Since the middle of the 1970s, the evolution of the prevalence of lithiasis in Portugal has been followed- up regularly by José Manuel Reis Santos. The latest follow-up is underway and we already have data on the Greater Lisbon area, where 1/5 of the Portuguese population lives. We know that both prevalence and incidence have been progressively rising, with first stone episode occurring at an earlier age and the male/female ratio gradually becoming identical. Stone composition has also changed over the years. Infection stones were frequent in the past but are now rare and, although the number of uric acid stones remains the same, calcium oxalate stones have increased. In females, magnesium, ammonium phosphate (MAP) stones have almost disappeared, being replaced by mixed calcium oxalate/phosphate. In the last few years the economic situation in Portugal has drastically changed with an enormous decrease in spending power and a huge increase in unemployment, especially among young people and women in general. The study of the impact of this change in the incidence of lithiasis would appear to be an important aim given that the risk factors of the illness are directly related to the increase or decrease in wealth within developed, industrialized societies. Historically, we know that there is not one single risk factor but several which together change the basic conditions of life in our society. This is the way it was in the past and will be in the future.