The influence of dialect group on peptic ulcer frequency amongst the Chinese in Singapore.

In Singapore, peptic ulcer is more common amongst Chinese than amongst Malays or Indians. Earlier work has suggested that, amongst female Chinese, Cantonese women are more susceptible to ulcer disease when compared to females of other dialect groups. The aim of the present study was to confirm or refute this possibility. The dialect group distribution of 897 Chinese patients with peptic ulcer (duodenal ulcer 601, gastric ulcer 296) was compared with that of non-ulcer dyspepsia patients and 1602 general medical patients attending the same medical units. The proportion of various dialect groups (including Cantonese) was similar in all patient groups. The proportion of ulcer patients presenting with haemorrhage was also similar in the different dialect groups. We conclude that no major dialect differences exist in peptic ulcer frequency amongst the Chinese in Singapore.