Is Duodenal Ulcer Really a Psychosomatic Disease?: A Population-Based Case-Control Study

Abstract

Risk factors for prepyloric and duodenal ulcer were analysed by means of a questionnaire in 132 patients and 132 population controls, pairwise matched for age and sex. Several factors associated with a lower socioeconomic status, such as short education, low income and low housing standard, and a job characterized by low satisfaction, low demands, and low autonomy, were more prevalent among the patients. The odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence limits (CL) in smokers versus non-smokers was 2.9 (CL, 1.7–5.0). A trend emerged in relation to the daily number of cigarettes, with an OR of 4.1 (CL, 2.2–7.5) for those smoking more than 10 cigarettes. The risk of having peptic ulcer disease was virtually unrelated to other psychiatric and somatic morbidity, to marital status, personal worries, type-A behaviour, experience of a hectic or psychologically demanding job, and to consumption of coffee, alcohol, and drugs. Our data lend no support to the concept that peptic ulcer disease is a disorder related to psychologic stress. Causative agents other than smoking should probably be sought among factors characterizing the life style of low socioeconomic classes.

Key Words:

• Duodenal ulcer
• epidemiology
• risk factors