Trends in the Etiology and Clinical Characteristics of Biliary Osbtruction: A Large-Scale, Single-Center Study

The etiological and clinical landscape of biliary obstruction is presumed to evolve over time; however, long-term, large-scale data to substantiate these changes are limited. This study aims to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the temporal trends in the etiology, demographics, and key diagnostic characteristics of biliary obstruction over a 16-year period (2008-2023) at a major tertiary medical center. This research will be conducted as a large-scale, retrospective, single-center study. The study population will be drawn from patients who were diagnosed with biliary obstruction between January 2008 and December 2023. From an initial cohort of patients with a clinical diagnosis, a subset of patients who received a definitive pathological diagnosis will be included for the primary etiological analysis, ensuring the robustness of the data. The core analysis will focus on several key research questions: How has the proportion of malignant versus benign etiologies of biliary obstruction changed over the 16-year period? Are there discernible trends in the mean age at diagnosis for patients in both the benign and malignant disease groups? What is the temporal trend of baseline Carbohydrate Antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) levels at initial diagnosis for patients with malignant biliary obstruction? The expected outcome of this registration is a detailed characterization of the evolving clinical profile of biliary obstruction. It is anticipated that the findings will provide valuable insights for clinicians in diagnosing and managing biliary obstruction, aid healthcare administrators in resource allocation, and inform future public health strategies related to biliary diseases. By documenting these trends, this study seeks to provide a crucial evidence base for adapting clinical practice to the changing epidemiology of this condition.