The occurrence of a duodenal or gastric ulcer in two different populationsliving in the same region: a cross-sectional endoscopical study in consecutive patients

Background: Marked differences in prevalence of Helicobacter pylori have be en noted between population subgroups living in the same country. A cross-s ectional endoscopical study in consecutive patients presenting with active ulcer disease was done., in order to study the H. pylori prevalence in rela tion to ethnicity in ulcer patients. Methods: Consecutive patients with an active duodenal or gastric ulcer were eligible for inclusion. Biopsy specim ens from the gastric antrum were taken for detection of H. pylori, People o riginating from Turkey were studied separately. Results: In an 8-year perio d, 375 patients with active duodenal ulcer were seen. Three hundred one pat ients were ethnic Dutch. Seventy-four of the patients were of Turkish origi n. These were statistically significant younger than ethnic Dutchmen, 35.9 vs. 61.2 years (P < 0.0001). The number of men was significantly higher, 82 .4% vs. 53.8% (P < 0.001). H. pylori prevalence was significantly higher in Turkish patients with duodenal ulcer, 91 vs. 74% (P < 0.0001). Gastric ulc er was seen in 218 patients. Only five patients were of Turkish descent. Th e number of Turkish patients was too small to permit statistical analysis, but the percentage of men is higher and the mean age is lower compared with ethnic Dutchmen. Conclusions: It is concluded that if ulcer disease and H. pylori prevalence is studied in a given population, ethnicity of the popul ation understudy has to be taken into account. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B. V. All rights reserved.