[Duodenal ulcer in the aged. Diagnosis, therapy and disease course]

In 68 of 1152 patients older than 65 years an acute ulcus duodeni could be stated by endoscopy. This is 5,9% of the examined patients. Among this group there was a remarkably great number of patients who belonged to the age group between 70 and 80 years. The anamnesis of 42 patients indicated complaints for several years, whereas 26 patients showed symptoms only for a few weeks. The size of the acute ulceration was mostly below 1,0 cm. A determined relation between the size of the ulceration, the patients age and the duration of their anamnesis could not be found. In 12 patients an acute ulcus ventriculi could be proved simultaneously. In 15 cases acute bleeding was the initial symptom of the ulceration. Healing of the ulcera took between 4 weeks and 3 months. The conservative therapeutical steps were not standardized. Stationary and ambulant patients did not show any difference in the time of healing. It was remarkable that the consumption of alcohol and especially of cigarettes was relatively high.