SEASONAL FLUCTUATIONS OF ENDOSCOPICALLY DIAGNOSED GASTRIC AND DUODENAL ULCER

Abstract

To investigate seasonal fluctuations of peptic ulcer disease, monthly occurrences of endoscopically diagnosed active gastric ulcers (601 cases) and duodenal ulcers (289 cases) were examined. When dividing the months of the year into four consecutive three-month periods, there were 171 cases of gastric ulcers from March to May, 164 cases from June to August, 139 cases from September to November and 127 cases from December to February (p<0.05). Duodenal ulcers occurred in 63 cases from January to March, 68 cases from April to June, 61 cases from July to September, and most fequently from October to December with 97 cases (p<0.05). Thus, seasonal fluctuatons of peptic ulcer disease were observed in the Nagoya City district, and gastric ulcers frequently occurred in spring and duodenal ulcers in autumn to early winter.