Peptic ulcer is a frequently encountered problem in the adult, but relatively rare in infancy and childhood. Wtih the improvement of diagnostic aids (particularly redicicgic eaui; meat, pectic ulcers have been detected with increasing frequency. However, there is a raucity of information available c^ncerring this disease in infancy and childhood in Korea. Psychologic rrcblems are an important etiologic factor of peptic ulcer in childhood especially in a complicated, scecialized, and civilized society.
The author clinically observed 33 patients with peptic ulcer, under the age of 15 years, who were admitted to the Department of Pediatrics at Severance Hcs ital from Sept., 1956 to Aug., 1971.
The age and sex incidence, tepe and location of ulcer, etiologic factxs, clinical and laboratory findings, camplications, t-eatment and prognosis were analyzed and the data is summarized as follows;
1. The incidence of peptic ulcer in childhood was 0. 32% of a total 10, 585 admissions, and the aver-age number of patients of peptic ulcer per year was 2. 2.
2. Sex incidence showed that males predominated in a proportion of 3. 1 : 1. The ratio of male to female was 1. 6 : 1 from newborn to 6 years of age but 4 : 1 between the ages of 7 and 15.
3. Among 33 patients, 13 ca- (39. 4916) were between 12 and 15 years of age, and 12 patients (36.4%) between 7 and 11, and so the majority (75.8%) were between the ages cf 7 and 15. The youngest patient was a 3 month old female infant who died of gastric perforation.
4. The incidence of ulcer site was 9 cases (24.3 0) of gastric and 29 cases (75. 7%) of duodenal including gastroduodenal ulcers. The ratio of gastric to duodenal ulcer was 1 : 3. 2. In gastric ulcer females were predominant 3 times greater than males, but in duodenal ulcer, males were predominant 5 times greater than females. In gastroduodenal ulcers which occurred over 7 years of age, males predominated 4 times greater than females. There was no difference in the age distribution of gastric ulcer, but the incidence of duodenal ulcer increased in the older age group. The cccurrance of peptic ulcer between 7 and 15 years was 3 times more frequent than the age group under 6 years.
5. Probable etiologic factors were identified in 13 of the 33 patients: psychologic problem, 9; drug
(P.A.S. ), 1; severe infection (septicemia due to empyema), 1; head trauma, I,-Henrch Schoenlein purpura, 1. But in 19 patients, the etiologic factors could not be found.
6. The majority (70%) had abdomina´ pain which was not related to meals. Other symptoms were nausea (42.3%), vomiting (36.3%), indigestion (36.351´,), pallor and lethargy (30.0%), melena (30.0%), hematmesis (24.2%), anorexia (15.1%), diarrhea(15. 016), constipation (9.0%), dyspnea (9. 0/0, and abdominal distension (9.0%).
7. Gastric analysis was performed in 19 patients; 17 of these patients had hyperchlorhydria, but 2 cases had hypo-or achlorhydria.
8. Complications mere found in 19 patients(57. 016). The were gastrointestinal bleeding, 15(45.4%), partial obstruction, 2(6.0%), and perforation, 2(6. 0%). The majority of patients had moderate to severe anemia, and immediate blood transfusion was necessary in the 30. 2961 of the 33 patients who had Hb levels below 7. 0 gm%.
9. Among the total 33 patients, ulcer symptoms disappeared in 19 patients with medical treatment such as antacids, tranquilizers and other conservative treatment. One patient died of gastric ulcer perforation. Nine patients improved with combined psychological and medical treatment. Operations were per-formed in 4 patients who had severe complications such as hemorrhage, perforation or partial obstruction.
10. Reccurrance was found in 2 patients: one is 7 months after initial episode, and another is 8 months later.
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