Faecal Urobilinogen Content in Populations with Different Peptic Ulcer Incidence in India, and its Possible Role in the Aetiology of Ulceration

Abstract

Significantly higher mean levels of urobilinogen in the faeces and urine were encountered in 28 pairs of age-matched healthy men and a similar number of women, drawn from populations showing disparate incidence-rates of peptic ulceration. The levels of faecal urobilinogen concentration (mg/100 g stool) were higher in the ulcer-prone South Indians than in ulcer-immune North Indians. The respective mean values were: 64.4 mg % and 19.8 mg %; higher in peptic ulcer patients than in healthy persons; and higher in men as compared with women. These differences in the faecal and urine urobilinogen appear to be dependent upon the pattern of diet and eating.

Index-words:

• Stomach
• feces
• peptic ulcer
• urobilinogen