QUALITY OF ULCER HEALING INFLUENCES THE RELAPSE OF GASTRIC-ULCERS IN HUMANS

The usefulness of dye-contrast endoscopy for the evaluation of the qua lity of gastric ulcer healing and the prediction of relapse was invest igated. Sixty consenting patients whose ulcers healed during 3 months of treatment underwent endoscopy for the identification of the pattern of mucosal regeneration. Patients were monitored for relapses for up to 18 months after antiulcer therapy had ended. The pattern of regener ation was flat in 24 patients, nodular in 25 and intermediate in 11. I nternal hypoechoic areas seen by endoscopic ultrasonography were less common and histological maturity was better in the patient group with the flat pattern compared with the patient group with the nodular patt ern of mucosal regeneration. Prostaglandin E(2) synthesis was highest in the group with the flat pattern of mucosal regeneration and the rel apse rate was lowest in this group. We conclude that the evaluation of the quality of ulcer healing is possible and that findings in individ uals may aid the prediction of relapse for particular patients.