Incidence of XXXX in Dalmatia: similarities and differences among populations.

@entity14931 @entity1 @entity309
BACKGROUND: The specific aim of our study was neither prognosis nor long-term evaluation but focus on determining incidence of @entity14931 ( @entity14931 ) in a large population of @entity1 with @entity309 ( @entity309 ) on the coastline of Croatia (Dalmatia) within a certain range. We compared our data with those published previously in the literature. METHODS: Our study was focused on determining incidence of @entity14931 occurrence in @entity1 with @entity309 in Dalmatia, Croatia by comparing these figures with data reported elsewhere and evaluating its importance in the process of diagnosing @entity309 . The duration of the study was 10 years (1991-2001). There were 421 @entity1 (344 @entity1 and 77 @entity1 ) with confirmed @entity309 diagnosis. Median follow-up time was 2 years (range: 1.4-3.5 years). RESULTS: Existence of @entity14931 was established by clinical examination in 109 of 421 @entity1 ; incidence density was 17.3%. @entity14931 occurred somewhat more frequently in @entity1 (32%) as compared to @entity1 (24%) without statistically significant difference. In 38% of @entity1 , @entity14931 occurred simultaneously in several sites, more frequently in @entity1 (64%) than in @entity1 (30%) (odds ratio [OR] 2.13, p <0.05). Correlation of seropositivity and @entity14931 appearance was very high: positive in 84% of @entity1 with nodules as compared to 58% of @entity1 without nodules (OR 1.45, p <0.05) with no statistically significant differences between sexes. CONCLUSIONS: Results obtained warrant the conclusion that @entity14931 incidence in our @entity1 from Dalmatia is comparable with results of earlier Croatian studies as well as with Western European figures and Caucasian population data reported on other continents. @entity14931 incidence differs significantly for Asian and Arabian populations, i.e., is less frequent, and for the U.S. population, where it is more frequent.
