I. Gangaidzo et al., PROSPECTIVE ENDOSCOPIC STUDY OF DUODENAL-ULCER IN ZIMBABWEAN BLACKS, Central African Journal of Medicine, 38(10), 1992, pp. 397-402
One thousand seven hundred and fourteen Black Zimbabwean patients unde
rwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Demographic details of the pat
ients were analysed. A randomly chosen cohort of 50 patients with duod
enal ulceration was compared to age and sex matched controls regarding
lifestyle and H. pylori infection. Five hundred and sixteen patients
had active duodenal ulcers, giving a crude prevalence rate of ulcerati
on of 456 per 100 000 new hospital cases. There is a difference from t
he disease in Western countries in several respects. The incidence app
ears to be increasing in Zimbabwe. There was no significant difference
between ulcer patients and controls in their association with alcohol
consumption, cigarette smoking, urban residence and salicylate ingest
ion (p>0,1), Ulceration was most strongly associated with H. pylori ga
stritis compared to control (p<0,001). Duodenal ulceration was most pr
evalent in the 21 to 30 year age group. The overall male to female rat
io was 4,7:1. A significant proportion of patients had persistence of
ulceration after a standard course of Cimetidine. Pain did not always
correlate with presence or absence of ulcers.