Seasonal Periodicity of Peptic Ulcer Disease: A Prospective Radiologic Study

The possible seasonal periodicity of the occurrence of X-ray-negative dyspepsia (RND), first-time-diagnosed gastric ulcer (GU), and first-time-diagnosed duodenal ulcer (DU) was studied in a 3-year period from 1980 to 1983. Of the 1936 patients studied, 1749 had RND, 100 had GU, and 87 had DU. One or more of the three types of dyspeptic disease were more frequently seen in the period from September through January and less frequently in the period from April through August. In conclusion, the present study suggests true seasonal periodicity in the occurrence of peptic ulcer disease, at least in a population living in the northern part of Norway.