[Association of psychosocial factors and platelet 5-HT with peptic ulcer].
OBJECTIVE
To scrutinize the association of psychosocial factors especially emotional factors with peptic ulcer.


METHODS
Eighty-nine peptic ulcer patients and 50 normal controls were investigated by means of questionnaires for personality, alexithymia, social support, life events, and their platelet 5-HT levels were determined.


RESULTS
By comparison with normal controls, the peptic ulcer patients had: (1) higher scores on the subscales such as Hs, D, Pt, Sc and Hy of personality; (2) Higher scores on HAMA, HAMD and Toronto alexithymia scale (TAS); (3) Significantly lower platelet 5-HT concentration. And in the ulcer patients who were not infected with HP (called HP negative), the area of their ulcer was found to have a positive correlation with HAMA and TAS scores (r=0.74, P<0.01; r=0.45, P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
(1) There was a correlation between the onset of peptic ulcer and personality or manner of emotional expression. (2) There may be two subtypes of ulcer patients: one of it may be due to HP infection and the other may be more closely associated with negative emotion and manner of emotional expression; for the latter one, anxiolytics deserve to be included in the routine treatments.
Sun
Xue-li
XL
Mental Health Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Wang
Yi-ping
YP
Liu
Tao-sheng
TS
Wu
Jun-chao
JC
Luo
Qiu-hua
QH
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000378:metabolism*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010437:Peptic Ulcer / Q000097:blood / Q000523:psychology*; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012701:Serotonin / Q000097:blood*; D012944:Social Support
D012701:Serotonin