Seasonal pattern in the incidence of bleeding caused by peptic ulcer in Israel.

We have reviewed all endoscopies performed in our hospital between 1977 and 1986. During that period, 1337 endoscopies were performed to identify bleeding from peptic ulcers. Excluded were cases in which a predisposing factor was found, such as the use of ulcerogenic drugs. Also excluded were chronic or critically ill patients. The remaining 540 cases were reviewed. In 447 of those cases, the bleeding lesion was a duodenal ulcer, whereas, in 93 cases, a gastric ulcer was found (a ratio of 5:1). The seasonal variation in the incidence of bleeding from peptic ulcers was evaluated. We found a significant difference in bleeding in the cold and hot seasons, the incidence being significantly greater during the cold season (November until February). A similar pattern was found for bleeding from both duodenal and gastric ulcers.