A PROSPECTIVE-STUDY OF FUNGAL INFECTION OF GASTRIC-ULCERS - CLINICAL-SIGNIFICANCE AND CORRELATION WITH MEDICAL-TREATMENT

A prospective study was performed to evaluate the prevalence of fungal infection in gastric ulceration and its effect on ulcer healing in 17 8 benign and 97 malignant gastric ulcers. Fungal infection was defined as presence of fungal hyphae or spores in the biopsy forceps specimen . For patients with benign gastric ulcers, sucralfate 1 g q.i.d. was p rescribed and a second panendoscopy examination was carried out after 6 weeks to evaluate ulcer healing. Fungal colonization was found in 36 (20.2%) patients with benign gastric ulcers and 26 (26.8%) patients w ith gastric cancers (p > 0.2). The mean age of patients with benign ga stric ulcer with fungal infection (group I) was 64.2 +/- 11.4 years, w hereas the mean age of those without fungal infection (group II) was 5 6.2 +/- 13.1 years (p < 0.01). Follow-up panendoscopy after 6 weeks of sucralfate therapy revealed 6 of 24 patients (25%) in group I and 19 of 81 patients (23%) in group II with unsatisfactory healing (differen ce not significant). Comparison of confounding factors such as smoking , daily tea or coffee intake, underlying disease, ulcer location, and endoscopic appearance between these two groups revealed no significant differences. In conclusion, the presence of fungus in gastric ulcers is a secondary phenomenon and it does not affect ulcer healing.