Abstract

ABSTRACT :
BACKGROUND :
The aim of this study is to investigate and explain the distribution of patients with symptomatic duodenal ulcer " DU " along the months and seasons of the year and to show whether there is a seasonal fluctuation or not .
PATIENTS AND METHOD :
The reports of all endoscopically proved DU patients residing in Babylon , Iraq during five years period starting from January 1998 to December 2003. The results were plotted on curves month by month and season by season and then the data were analysed to show their distribution along the seasons of the year and whether there is fluctuation or not.
RESULTS :
Out of 4006 patients endoscoped , 1846 showed DU in a form of : ulcer , deformity , and stenosis . The highest incidence of DU was observed during winter 607 (32.88%) patients and spring 537 (29.08%) patients , progressively diminishing throughout summer 380 (20.58 ) patients and Autumn 322 ( 17.44% ) patients.
CONCLUSION:
There is a highly statistical significance " P <0.01 " of seasonal variation in the activity of duodenal ulcer with maximum incidence during Winter and Spring and lower during summer and Autumn .