The natural course of peptic ulcer disease and its predictors

Little is known about today's natural course of peptic ulcer disease (PUD).

A follow-up study based on a structured telephone interview was attempted in 728 patients with an endoscopic diagnosis of peptic ulcer in 1980-84.

Seven patients (1%) died because of PUD during the 8- to 10-year follow-up period. Of the 441 interviewed patients 15.2% had experienced no further clinical manifestations of PUD, 10.9% had had bleeding and 0.7% perforation, and 17.5% had been operated on. The operated patients reported fewer symptoms (p < 0.01) during the last 2 weeks before the interview than those not operated on. On an average the unoperated patients had had symptoms and had used histamine-2-receptor antagonists (H2RA) 12 and 10 weeks per year, respectively. Long-term treatment with H2RA was reported by 18%. More than one-third (36%) of the unoperated patients stated that the symptoms had had a significant negative impact on their lives. Age at onset of disease and index ulcer, family history, use of anti-inflammatory drugs and alcohol, bleeding, and another chronic disease were found to be significant predictors of the course.

In more than one-third of the patients with PUD the course is still burdened with many symptoms and complications.