Ventilatory function in chronic peptic ulcer. A controlled study of ventilatory function in patients with gastric and duodenal ulcer.

The aim of this study was to determine if a defect in ventilatory function is present in patients with chronic peptic ulcer and if so, is it present in both gastric and duodenal ulcer and is it related to smoking. Fifty-six patients with peptic ulceration (27 gastric ulcer, 29 duodenal ulcer), together with 56 healthy controls matched for age, sex, and smoking status, were studied. Ventilatory function was measured and the ABH blood group antigen secretor status was determined. Vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in 1 s were significantly reduced in both smokers and nonsmokers with gastric ulcer when compared with controls; total lung capacity was lower than controls only in smokers with gastric ulcer. In duodenal ulcer patients, a trend similar to that observed in gastric ulcer patients was present. It is concluded that a defect in ventilatory function is present in patients with chronic gastric ulcer; a lesser defect is present in patients with duodenal ulcer.