Incidence of peptic ulcer disease in Gothenburg, 1985.

Abstract

To determine the incidence and age distribution of peptic ulcer disease in adults in Gothenburg. Retrospective study of patients with symptoms over one year. All gastroenterology and x ray departments. Any patient found to have an active ulcer crater during 1985. Sex, age, past history of gastrointestinal ulcers, and smoking habit. 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. 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.