Peptic ulcer inheritance in patients with elevated serum pepsinogen group A levels and without infection of Helicobacter pylori

Background. Peptic ulcer has multifactorial aetiology, including genetic fa ctors, We have identified a family with pepsinogen Group A levels higher th an normal, with a high prevalence of ulcer disease and a low prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection. Aims. Performing linkage analysis in the identified family. Patients and Methods. We examined the segregation of pepsinogens with micro satellite dinucleotide repeat DNA markers along chromosome 11 (D11S480, PYG M) for pepsinogen Group A and along chromosome 6 (D6S105, D6S1610, TRMI) fo r pepsinogen Group C. Results, In markers examined along chromosome 11, linkage analysis provided no evidence for significant causal mutation but, controlling for some risk factors we observed that the probability of falling ill, increases. The li nkage analysis along chromosome 6 for pepsinogen Group C did not show a uni form genetic profile. Conclusions, This study evaluates the hypothesis of peptic ulcer inheritanc e at least in a small group of patients without the common risk factors.