Let’s count (Primary School).
The correct calculation is as follows:
4% x 4% = 0.16%, which can also be represented as
0.04 x 0.04 = 0.0016 = 16/10,000 = 1/625, or 1 in 625 ⚠️
This is possible! According to one of the most experienced surgeons in the USA, this value is 0.0012, which means 12/10,000 which can also be represented as 1 in 833.
Medicine sometimes publishes information it does not fully understand. The Winner is ...
Eagle Syndrome (Statistics) - Facts and Myths
Eagle Syndrome
vs.
Rare diseases
There are many other statistics about Eagle Syndrome on PubMed, including some that are truly surprising => PMC4217270
Physicians and medical sources mention that Eagle Syndrome is a very rare disease. The same sources most often quote “the prevalence of elongated styloid processes is 4% of the population, and in 4% of them pain and disease symptoms have been observed".
<= please select your language
Rare diseases are medical conditions that affect a small proportion of the population. They are characterized by their low prevalence, affecting less than 5 in 10,000 individuals /1:2,000/ in the European Union or about 1 in 1,500 people in the USA.
Considering the definition of rare diseases, in my opinion, Eagle Syndrome should be classified as a rarely diagnosed disease rather than a rare disease.
According to the Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center (GARD), about 4% of the population has an unusually long styloid process. However, only between 4% and 10% of these people - around 1 in 62,500 people - have any symptoms. Absolutely not ! Nothing could be further from the truth.
4% x 4% = 0.16% = 1/625 not 1/62,500
It is important to note that this information may vary by country, region, ethnicity, and gender. Studies in my region have indicated that the occurrence of an elongated styloid process is seen in 2% of women and 1.9% of men.
One of the few medical publications free from these errors is available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9479714/
