title: The impact of Ramadan on peptic ulcer perforation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Medical treatment has played an important role in the reduction of peptic ulcer perforation (PUP). The goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of fasting on PUP.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis of 229 patients who were operated due to PUP between 1999-2009 was made. Patients were divided into two groups. Group I (n=188) included the patients who were operated in other periods of the year, while Group II (n=41) included the patients who were operated during Ramadan, the Muslim period of fasting. Patients in Group II were analyzed in terms of duration of fasting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The increase in surgeries per group was higher in Group II than Group I (p<0.05). Predisposing factors, anti-ulcer drug usage and demographic variables were seen to have no role in this difference. Duration of fasting may have a minimal effect on the perforation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study demonstrate that PUP is detected as relatively higher during Ramadan among those who are fasting for more than 12 hours daily. We suggest that people with predisposing factors should be informed before making a decision to fast.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Cumhuriyet University Faculty of Medicine, Sivas, Turkey. dralihan20@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Ali Kağan
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Gökakın
authors.forename: Atilla
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kurt
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Atabey
authors.forename: Ayhan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Koyuncu
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Topçu
authors.forename: Cengiz
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aydın
authors.forename: Metin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sen
authors.forename: Gündüz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Akgöl
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005215:Fasting / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010439:Peptic Ulcer Perforation / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D012067:Religion; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents