G. Lundegardh et al., MORTALITY AMONG PATIENTS WITH PARTIAL GASTRECTOMY FOR BENIGN ULCER DISEASE, Digestive diseases and sciences, 39(2), 1994, pp. 340-346
Partial gastrectomy for benign ulcer disease may influence future risk
of death, eg, through changes in life-style or metabolism. To reveal
such possible long-term effects, we analyzed a population-based cohort
of 6459 patients operated on from 1950 through 1958 and followed thro
ugh 1985. We found a lower overall mortality than in the general Swedi
sh population (standardized mortality ratio = 0.94; 95% confidence int
erval 0.91-0.97). Mortality was decreased among those with duodenal ul
cers, Billroth II operations, and older age at operation but increased
as time passed after operation. Mortality was significantly (P < 0.05
) increased from tuberculosis, alcoholism, emphysema, stomach ulcer, i
ntestinal obstruction, gallbladder or biliary disease, suicide, and ac
cidental falls but decreased from ischemic heart disease and cerebrova
scular disease. Preoperative selection of healthy patients and the pro
bable increased prevalence of risk factors for ulcer disease (smoking,
alcoholism, and lower socioeconomic status) in this cohort explain mo
st of these findings. Apart from intestinal obstruction, gallbladder o
r biliary tract diseases, and tuberculosis, the surgical procedure did
not appear to increase mortality beyond one year after operation.