ABSTRACT
476 endoscopic reports of 435 children under 15 years old of both sexes were reviewed to determine the morbility of gastroduodenal peptic ulcer. Endoscopy was performed because they had symptoms referred to the upper gastrointestinal tract between December 1989 and December 1994. Gastroduodenal ulcer was diagnosed in forty five children (10,3%). Primary ulcer was diagnosed in twenty four patients (55%) and secondary ulcers in twenty one (45%), being the administration of ulcerogenic drugs the main factor involved. Primary ulcer was more frequently diagnosed in older children and teenagers and localized mainly in the duodenum. Male sex was predominant in both types of ulcers. 42% of children with primary ulcers had familiar ocurrence of ulcer disease. Thirty three patients (73%) had complications, being gastrointestinal bleeding the most frequent. Ulcer disease is not rare in children and must be suspected in patients with recurrent abdominal pain.
