OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role played by some of the traditional risk factors on the prevalence of duodenal ulcer disease in Jordan, where the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori is high.

METHODS: This study was carried out in the Endoscopy unit at the Health Center, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan, during the period January 1998 through to july 1999. The patients' group consisted of 290 subjects with endoscopically proven duodenal ulcers and 161 subjects who were endoscoped for various indications and found to have no ulcers were considered as controls. Validated questionnaires were filled out before the procedure, containing data related to age, sex, area of residence, family history of ulcer, blood grouping, cigarette smoking, coffee and tea ingestion, and regularity of meals.

RESULTS: The following factors were associated with increased ulcer prevalence, male gender, family history of ulcer, blood group O, skipping breakfast or more than one meal, coffee ingestion and cigarette smoking.

CONCLUSION: Many factors are important in the predisposition for ulcer disease in subjects with Helicobacter pylori. Modification of these factors would be essential to decrease the prevalence of ulcer disease and will result in large economic and medical savings.

Institution
Department of Internal Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, PO Box 481, Irbid 21110, Jordan.