The healing rate of chronic gastric ulcer in patients admitted to hospital.

A study was made of the effect of age, sex, ulcer size, bed rest, carbenoxolone sodium and anticholinergic drug therapy, and advice to cease smoking on the healing rate of chronic gastric ulcer determined radiologically over 21 days in a factorially designed experiment in 54 patients admitted to hospital. It was found that carbenoxolone sodium, anticholinergic drug therapy, bed rest in hospital, and advice to cease smoking did not accelerate ulcer healing. Age and ulcer size had a slight effect on ulcer healing, the larger ulcers and those in older patients healing more slowly. The results can be explained by the hypothesis that chronic ulcers heal at a maximal rate after hospital admission and other factors that alone may have a beneficial effect in hospitalized patients.