Smoking and hyperpepsinogenemia are associated with increased risk for duodenal ulcer in Helicobacter pylori-infected patients.
BACKGROUND
Although Helicobacter pylori has been established as a major etiologic factor of chronic gastritis and makes an important contribution to peptic ulceration, the reason why H. pylori causes different gastroduodenal diseases in different people is at present not clear.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study is to identify risk factors associated with duodenal ulcers in H. pylori-infected patients in a multivariate context.


METHODS
Demographic data, personal habits, stressful life events, psychologic distress, severity of histology of antral mucosa, and serum pepsinogen I concentrations were studied in 54 consecutive dyspeptic patients with duodenal ulcers and 40 patients with functional dyspepsia.


RESULTS
As compared with functional dyspepsia patients, duodenal ulcer patients had more smokers (53.7% vs. 12.5%, P=0.000), higher pepsinogen I levels (median 96.0 vs. 74.5 ng/mL; P=0.002), more males (74.1% vs. 42.5%, P=0.004), more single (22.6% vs. 7.5%, P<0.05), and less in religion belief (44% vs. 70%, P<0.05). Only smoking remained significant on multivariate analysis (odds ratio=10.86, 95% CI=2.92-40.41, P<0.001). Among nonsmokers, only serum pepsinogen I level was found higher in duodenal ulcer patients as compared with functional dyspepsia patients (88 vs. 71, P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Smoking and hyperpepsinogenemia are associated with increased risk for duodenal ulcer in H. pylori-infected patients.
Chen
Tseng-Shing
TS
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, and National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C. tschen@vghtpe.gov.tw
Lee
Ying-Chiao
YC
Li
Fen-Yau
FY
Chang
Full-Young
FY
D001706:Biopsy; D004381:Duodenal Ulcer / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D020116:Pepsinogen A / Q000097:blood*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*
D020116:Pepsinogen A