Worldwide prevalence of haemorrhoids: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Amin Esmaeilnia Shirvani, Kimia Pakdaman, Zahra Maleki et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review and random-effects meta-analysis assessed haemorrhoidal disease prevalence across general, clinical, and high-risk populations. It included 150 studies (210 datasets) comprising 8,960,338 individuals. The pooled global point prevalence was 25.92% (95% CI: 22.62-29.22); lifetime prevalence was 27.19% (95% CI: 14.77-39.60), and one-year prevalence was 21.65% (95% CI: 14.33-28.97). Estimates varied by population and diagnostic method, with higher prevalence reported in women and with invasive diagnostic methods.
Key findings
- Pooled global point prevalence was 25.92% (95% CI: 22.62-29.22).
- Lifetime prevalence was 27.19% (95% CI: 14.77-39.60), and one-year prevalence was 21.65% (95% CI: 14.33-28.97).
- Prevalence was higher in women (27.33%, 95% CI: 21.84-32.82) than in men.
- Invasive diagnostic methods yielded higher prevalence estimates (28.05%, 95% CI: 23.86-32.26) than non-invasive methods.
Why it matters
The pooled estimates indicate that haemorrhoidal disease is common across the populations represented in the evidence base. Differences by sex and diagnostic approach show that prevalence figures depend partly on who is assessed and how disease is identified. Awareness of these factors can help clinicians interpret reported burden and recognise that estimates from different settings may not be directly comparable.
What to keep in mind
The review combined studies from general, clinical, and high-risk populations using different diagnostic methods, which may contribute to variation in prevalence estimates.