Lifestyle, Stress, and Genes in Peptic Ulcer Disease

Abstract

The questionnaire and hospital usage data on peptic ulcer disease in the population-based twin cohort suggest that the familial aggregation of the disease is modest, and attributable almost solely to genetic factors. Environmental effects not shared by family members were significant predictors of disease, and they were attributable to smoking and stress in men and the use of analgesics in women. The minor effects of shared environment to disease liability do not support the concept that the clustering of risk factors, such as H pylori infection, would explain the familial accumulation of peptic ulcer disease.