THE THEORY OF ALLERGIC ULCER DISEASE

Peptic ulcer occurs in about 10 percent of the population of most countries. On comparing the frequency of sensensitivity to 10 common allergens in the population of 1000 nonselected patients with recurrent peptic ulcers and in 100 healthy control subjects. Strongly positive skin reactions to three or more allergens were observed in 46.7% of ulcer patients and in 10% of control subjects respectively. Patients were most often sensitized to house dust, grass, trees and weedspollen moulds cockroaches and several food allergens, especially milk, fruits and vegetables. A very close correlation between the sensitivity to plant allergens and the recurrence of ulcers during the spring and summer period was observed in several patients.

These observations appear to show that in predisposed subjects with hereditary or accquired forms of atopic diathesis the tissue of the upper gastrointestinal tract especially gastic and/or duodenal mucosa become sensitive to several food and inhaled allergens. In the above subjects, the total IgE-poducing cell may bę found in the mucosa of the stomach and/or dudenum.