Background: The influence of ulcer risk factors is well known in chronic peptic ulcer disease. In this study the risk factors were investigated in patients with peptic ulcer complicated by an acute bleeding episode.
Method: In 106 consecutive patients with acute bleeding peptic ulcer, age, previous history of ulcer disease, presence of dyspeptic symptoms, smoking habits, consumption of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and haemoglobin concentration at admission were recorded. Helicobacter pylori infection was detected by means of two serologic tests in samples obtained at admission for the acute bleeding episode.
Results: Three-quarters of both gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer patients were shown to have H. pylori antibodies. NSAID use and smoking habits were similar in patients with and without H. pylori antibodies.
Conclusions: The results indicate that H. pylori infection, NSAID use, and smoking habits act as largely independent risk factors in patients with acute bleeding peptic ulcer.