Abstract

Although numerous etiologic risk factors have been proposed, the pathogenesis of hemorrhoids remains unknown. The present investigation assesses the temporal distribution of hemorrhoids as depicted by physician visits, hospital discharges, and surgical procedures to provide further insight into potential etiologic risk factors. The analysis was based on five data sources: from the United States, the National Disease and Therapeutic Index (NDTI), the National Hospital Discharge Survey (NHDS), and the Commission on Professional Hospital Activities (CPHA); from England and Wales, the Morbidity Statistics from General Practice (MSGP) and the Hospital In-patient Enquiry (HIPE). Results demonstrated a consistent decline in all data sources from the United States. The decrease occurred in males and females similarly and was most striking in those aged 45-64 years. Physician visits and hospital discharges for hemorrhoids in England and Wales likewise declined although the decrease was not as dramatic. The consistency of the temporal distributions among the two countries, as well as among the different sources, suggests that the observed decline may, in fact, reflect an overall decrease in the occurrence of hemorrhoidal disease.