Incidence of peptic ulcer disease in Gothenburg, 1985

Abstract

Objective: To determine the incidence and age distribution of peptic ulcer disease in adults in Gothenburg.

Design: Retrospective study of patients with symptoms over one year.

Setting: All gastroenterology and x ray departments.

Patients: Any patient found to have an active ulcer crater during 1985.

Main outcome measures: Sex, age, past history of gastrointestinal ulcers, and smoking habit.

Results: In 1985, 1402 peptic ulcers were diagnosed in 1137 adults. Over half (403; 54%) of the ulcers in men and 393 (60%) ulcers in women were in patients aged over 60. All types of ulcer showed increasing incidence with age. The sex ratio of patients aged 40-50 with peptic ulcers was 1:1. Nearly half (109; 48%) of ulcers diagnosed for the first time in men and 129 (57%) of such ulcers in women were in patients aged over 60. Elderly men and women were also more likely to develop haemorrhage.

Conclusions: In Gothenburg there is a surprisingly high incidence of peptic ulcer disease, which increases considerably with age, possibly explained by the availability of modern diagnostic techniques as 1121 (80%) ulcers had been diagnosed by gastroscopy. Compared with earlier studies there was no difference in the incidence between men and women aged 40-50.