All issues > Volume 32(2); 1989

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1989;32(2):198-205. Published online February 28, 1989.

A Clinical Study on Peptic Ulcer in Childhood.

S L Lee¹, Y S Kim¹, E S Suh¹, T W Paik¹, C M Kang¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, Keimyung University, School of Medicine, Taegu, Korea

Received: June 17, 1988;  Accepted: September 21, 1988.

Abstract

Although many papers about peptic ulcer disease in childhood has stated that the condition is increasing in incidence during the past several years, still the condition is not frequently recognized in childhood compared with the incidence in adults. Authors carried out the clinical analysis on 35 patients with peptic ulcer under the age of 15 years who were admitted to pediatric department of Dong San Medical Center from Mar. 1977 to Jun. 1986. The following results were obtained. Among 35 patients, 26 (74.3%) were duodenal, 8 (22.9%) were gastric ulcer and 1 case (2.8%) had gastric and duodenal ulcer concomitantly. Twenty-four cases (68.6%) were above 10 years old and male to female ratio was 4:1, 62.9% of the cases were observed in spring and autumn season. The cardinal symptoms were abdominal pain, vomiting, hematemesis and melena. Abdominal pain was most frequently observed in gastric ulcer (100%), whereas melena in duodenal ulcer (53.8%): Anemia, hemoglobin level below 9 gm%, was seen in 15 cases (42.8%). Gastric endoscopy was used mostly (60%) for diagnosis. Complications were observed in 25 cases (71.4%) including bleeding (54.3%), perforation (14.3%) and obstruction (2.8%). Twenty-nine cases (82.9%) were treated medically and 6 cases (17.1 %) with surgery. No case was dead.

Keywords :Peptic ulcer, Childhood