FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH PEPTIC ULCER: A SINGLE CENTRE EXPERIENCE AT TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL OF KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA

Objective: To find out association between peptic ulcer (PU) and high risk predictors like sex, smoking, use of non-streoidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and H. pylori infection.Methodology: This retrospective study was conducted at the medical unit of the Saidu Sharif Swat, months from October 2011 to January 2012 on 72 adult endoscopically proven patients of PU having previous history of smoking,ingestion of NSAIDs and presence of H. pylori infection on Urease test. Data was collected on structured proforma including patients demographics, clinical presentation and major risk predictors. Relevant statistics were carried out to see an association of these high risk predictors with PU.Results: PU was more prevalent in age of 21-40 years with associated predictors like smoking, use of NSAIDs and H. pylori infection. Of the 72 patients, 68.05%patients were male and 31.94% were female. Smoking has a high incidence of 52.63%, and the use of NSAIDs shared 31.03% in patients of age 31-40 years.H. pylori infection was having 30% and 32% incidence in patients of groups 31-40 and 41-50 years, respectively. Smoking has a high Neg. R2 (26.82%) while for use of NSAIDs is 7.42%. Smoking + sex + NSAIDs + H. pylori have Neg.R2 score 48.09% (P 0.05).Conclusion: Smoking, sex, use of NSAIDs and H. pylori infection carries strong association in patients having peptic ulcer. As smoking alone is found to have stronger association with PU, public awareness program regarding hazards of smoking is recommended.