Peptic ulcer disease in the elderly in Singapore.
Of 460 patients with peptic ulcer disease seen over a 30-month period, there were 174 elderly patients (defined as > or = 60 years old), constituting 38%. In this group of elderly, gastric ulcers (GU) were observed more frequently than duodenal ulcers (DU) with a ratio of 1.6:1 and the male to female ratio was 1.7:1. In patients < 60 years old, there were more DU than GU with a ratio of 2.7:1, and a higher male to female ratio of 3.7:1. Seventy-two per cent of the elderly had at least one other medical condition with 20% having three or more medical problems. Hypertension and ischaemic heart disease were the most frequently encountered illnesses. Half the elderly presented with upper abdominal pain and one-third had an atypical presentation. Analgesic ingestion in the preceding 4 weeks was present in 29% of the elderly. In the elderly, bleeding was the most frequent complication occurring in 50%; perforation occurred in 2%. In those with bleeding ulcers, 44% had history of analgesic usage. The mortality of bleeding peptic ulcer in the elderly, was 11% and this was largely due to concurrent medical conditions. Only two deaths occurred due to bleeding ulcer.
Ng
T M
TM
Department of Medicine, Toa Payah Hospital, Singapore.
Fock
K M
KM
Chia
S C
SC
Chew
C N
CN
Chong
Y Y
YY
Chee
E N
EN
Yap
C K
CK
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003710:Demography; D004381:Duodenal Ulcer / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010437:Peptic Ulcer / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012846:Singapore / Q000453:epidemiology; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000453:epidemiology