Risk factors and peculiarities of clinical course of ulcer disease in employees of antibiotic industry.

Abstract

A total of 62 patients engaged in antibiotic production (main group) and 59 control subjects were examined. Risk factors of ulcer disease in these patients could be dust inhalation, contact with solvents, shift work, and smoking. Patients of the main group had a more severe disease and higher frequency of complications, larger amounts of Helicobacter pylori in the gastric mucosa, its more pronounced morphological changes, slower disappearance of clinical symptoms of exacerbation, and longer period of ulcer scarring. Also, they underwent more severe disorders of humoral immunity than control subjects which might account for the unfavourable clinical picture of their condition.