THE NATURAL COURSE OF PEPTIC-ULCER DISEASE AND ITS PREDICTORS

Background: Little is known about today's natural course of peptic ulc er disease (PUD). Methods: A follow-up study based on a structured tel ephone interview was attempted in 728 patients with an endoscopic diag nosis of peptic ulcer in 1980-84. Results: Seven patients (1%) died be cause of PUD during the 8- to 10-year follow-up period. Of the 441 int erviewed patients 15.2% had experienced no further clinical manifestat ions of PUD, 10.9% had had bleeding and 0.7% perforation, and 17.5% ha d been operated on. The operated patients reported fewer symptoms (p < 0.01) during the last 2 weeks before the interview than those not ope rated on. On an average the unoperated patients had had symptoms and h ad used histamine-2-receptor antagonists (H(2)RA) 12 and 10 weeks per year, respectively. Long-term treatment with H(2)RA was reported by 18 %. More than one-third (36%) of the unoperated patients stated that th e symptoms had had a significant negative impact on their lives. Age a t onset of disease and index ulcer, family history, use of anti-inflam matory drugs and alcohol, bleeding, and another chronic disease were f ound to be significant predictors of the course. Conclusion: In more t han one-third of the patients with PUD the course is still burdened wi th many symptoms and complications.