Perforated duodenal ulcer: is the distinction between acute and chronic valid?

Perforations of acute and chronic duodenal ulcers were compared in 70 patients by analysis of the age and racial incidence, the acid output and the histology of the ulcer edge at the time of perforation. There was no significant difference between the ulcer types when these variables were considered. It is suggested that the only difference is the perseverance of symptoms and likelihood of relapse in the chronic group, and that in pathological terms the only true acute ulcer is the rare stress ulcer.