Abstract
Peptic ulcers have been considered as one of typical psychosomatic diseases. Since the participation of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) in them has been reported, however, ulcers became to be regarded as one of infectious diseases. Our purpose was to find how psycho-social factors contribute to the occurrence and recurrence of ulcers. This study was examined on totally 94 persons. The ulcers group consisted of 54 persons, and 12 of them were the patients who had ulcers for the first time and 42 were those who had recurrent ulcers. The non-recurrent ulcer group consisted of 17,who had ulcers in the past but have not at present, and the non-ulcer group consisted of 23 who have no ulcers both in the past and present. None of those had medical treatment for eradication of H. pylori.We interviewed them and surveyed their psychological and social backgrounds such as smoking, drinking, dietary life, personality, daily stress and stress-coping, etc. We obtained their answers for MMPI, one of psychological tests and SSRS, the questionnaire on their life events. We also conducted blood examination and measured serum antibody value of anti-H. pylori IgG (HP antibody) and serum pepsinogen I (PG I). Consequently, we obtained various factors related to the occurrence and recurrence of ulcers.First of all, we made comparative examination among the ulcer group and the non-ulcer group, and the recurrent ulcer group and the non-recurrent ulcer group on each factor. H. pylori is regarded most important as the factor related to the occurrence and recurrence of ulcers. However, no significant differences on the positive rate of HP antibody were observed in both comparisons between the ulcer gorup and the non-ulcer group, and the recurrent ulcer group and the non-recurrent ulcer group from the result. Specific personality of the patients who have ulcers were not clearly observed. Similarly, no significant differences were observed also on stress and life events in both comparisons. The most marked differences in the comparison between the ulcer group and the non-ulcer group were found in the factors relating to behavioral science.Rate of smoking people was significantly higher in the ulcer group than in the non-ulcer group. More drinking and less stress-coping were observed more often in the ulcer group than in the non-ulcer group.Dietary irregularity was an important factor in recurrence. We than perfomred multivariate analysis to examine what factor is most important in the occurrence and recurrence of ulcers. As the result, it was suggested that the factors of behavioral science such as smoking, stress-coping, and dietary irregularity etc.play a more important role in the occurrence and recurrence of ulcers than H.pylori.We consider it important to prevent the occurrence and recurrence of ulcers caused by psycho-social factors by continuing psychosomatic approach to peptic ulcers.
