Prevalence of Varicoceles in Children and Adolescents in Namhae-gun.
- Author:
Dong Hun GWAK
1
;
Bong Hwan KIM
;
Seong Woon PARK
Author Information
1. Department of Urology, Presbyterian Medical Center, Jeonju, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Varicocele;
Prevalence;
Epidemiology;
Adolescent;
Korean
- MeSH:
Adolescent*;
Child*;
Classification;
Cryptorchidism;
Epidemiology;
Gyeongsangnam-do;
Humans;
Incidence;
Male;
Prevalence*;
Semen Analysis;
Spermatozoa;
Varicocele*
- From:Korean Journal of Urology
2001;42(9):967-970
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to elucidate the current incidence of varicoceles in unselected Korean children and adolescents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 4271 Korean school boys aged 7-18, resided in Namhaegun, Gyungnam province were investigated. The study population comprised more than 95% (4271/4403) of all boys in the respective age in a rural country with a total population of 61,820 (29,840 males and 31,980 females). All examinations were carried out by a single urologist from March to June 2000. The patients with varicocele were divided according to the classification of Dubin-Amelar. RESULTS: No case of varicocele was encountered in 1,233 boys between 7 to 10 years, while the incidence in the 3,038 boys aged 11 to 18 years was 9.61% (292 boys). There was a peak varicocele incidence from aged 14 to 16 (11.78-13.52%). The proportion of varicocele grades were grade I 21.58% (63/292), grade II 44.68% (131/292), grade III 33.56% (98/292). There were 2 cases of bilateral varicoceles. Other abnormalities found were 7 cryptorchidism (0.16%) and 27 hydroceles (0.63%). In 33 older boys (aged between 16-18) with varicocele, semen analyses were performed and two boys had subnormal sperm concentration. CONCLUSIONS: Our finding of peaking at ages 14 to 16 was parallel with the old Danish report,11 but our incidence was substantially lower than the report of 16.2%.
