title: A link between physician-diagnosed ulcer and anxiety disorders among adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Previous studies have suggested an association between mood and anxiety disorders and peptic ulcer, yet extant work suffers from methodologic limitations. Centrally, previous epidemiologic studies have relied exclusively on self-report of ulcer. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between DSM-IV depression and anxiety disorders and physician-diagnosed ulcer among adults in the general population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were drawn from a population-based, representative sample of 4181 adults aged 18 to 79 in the German National Health Interview and Examination Survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Any anxiety disorder (odds ratio [OR], 2.6), panic disorder (OR, 5.2), panic attacks (OR, 3.8), and social phobia (OR, 3.3) were associated with increased likelihood of physician-diagnosed ulcer, compared with those without ulcer. There was evidence of a dose-response relationship between number of mental disorders and likelihood of current ulcer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings provide initial evidence of a link between anxiety disorders and physician-diagnosed ulcer among adults in the community. Future work, ideally taking into account Helicobacter pylori infection, stress, and mental health problems is needed to improve our understanding of the possible mechanisms that can provide insight into the etiology of peptic ulcers.
authors: Department of Psychology, Queens College and The Graduate Center, City University of New York (CUNY), Flushing, NY, USA. renee.goodwin@qc.cuny.edu
authors: Renee D
authors: RD
authors: Goodwin
authors: Nicholas J
authors: NJ
authors: Talley
authors: Matthew
authors: M
authors: Hotopf
authors: Robert A
authors: RA
authors: Cowles
authors: Sandro
authors: S
authors: Galea
authors: Frank
authors: F
authors: Jacobi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology; D010437:Peptic Ulcer / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D010820:Physicians; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult