Mortality among patients with partial gastrectomy for benign ulcer disease

Partial gastrectomy for benign ulcer disease may influence future risk of death, eg, through changes in life-style or metabolism. To reveal such possible long-term effects, we analyzed a population-based cohort of 6459 patients operated on from 1950 through 1958 and followed through 1985. We found a lower overall mortality than in the general Swedish population (standardized mortality ratio = 0.94; 95% confidence interval 0.91-0.97). Mortality was decreased among those with duodenal ulcers, Billroth II operations, and older age at operation but increased as time passed after operation. Mortality was significantly (P < 0.05) increased from tuberculosis, alcoholism, emphysema, stomach ulcer, intestinal obstruction, gallbladder or biliary disease, suicide, and accidental falls but decreased from ischemic heart disease and cerebrovascular disease. Preoperative selection of healthy patients and the probable increased prevalence of risk factors for ulcer disease (smoking, alcoholism, and lower socioeconomic status) in this cohort explain most of these findings. Apart from intestinal obstruction, gallbladder or biliary tract diseases, and tuberculosis, the surgical procedure did not appear to increase mortality beyond one year after operation.