Duodenal ulceration in sickle cell anaemia

Duodenal ulceration was found to affect 30·5% of 72 male patients aged over 25 years, with sickle cell anaemia in Jamaica. As a group, these patients did not manifest the high gastric acid secretory rates which are generally associated with duodenal ulceration. There was a positive association with irreversibly sickled cells which are known to relate to vessel obstruction and tissue infarction. It is suggested that primary mucosal damage (presumably ischaemic in nature) may contribute to the development of duodenal ulcers in this condition.