THE COINCIDENCE OF BENIGN GASTRIC ULCER AND CHRONIC PULMONARY DISEASE

Abstract

In a consecutive series of 70 patients (average age 52 years) with benign gastric ulcer, chronic pulmonary disease coexisted in 43%. The pulmonary disease was accompanied by respiratory insufficiency and was characterized by diffuse emphysema and fibrosis. Carcinoma of the lung, active tuberculosis, and suppurative lung disease was not encountered. Incidence of chronic pulmonary disease in 500 hospital patients in the same age group selected at random was approximately 10%. The possible causal relationship between chronic nonspecific disease of the lung and benign gastric ulcer is discussed.