Effect of Ramadan Fasting Among Muslims on the Frequency of Perforated Peptic Ulcer, a Retrospective Study

Background: peptic ulcer is a chronic lesion that occurs in any portion of GIT (usually stomach), it is exposed to the aggressive action of acid peptic juice, this disease has been broadly treated medically, peptic ulcer has numbers of complications still perforation is one of the commonest and severe form of complications, if happened it should be treated as soon as possible. Objectives: To assess the effect of fasting among Islamic people during Ramadan month on peptic ulcer perforation in Erbil province. Patients and Methods: a retrospective study of 86 Patients who underwent operation for perforated peptic ulcers (gastric and duodenal) in an emergency Hospital of Erbil City – Kurdistan Region - Iraq between the period of October 2016 and August 2021 were coincide the period between (60 lunar months) were analyzed. Patients divided into two groups. Group I (No. 77) included those who were underwent operation throughout other months of the years except the Ramadan (fasting month) while Group II (No.9) constituted of those patients who were underwent operation throughout the Ramadan (fasting month). Results: No statistically significant difference in the mean ages between the groups (40.26 vs. 48.11 years) observed. The mean monthly number of surgical intervention rates was slightly higher in Ramadan months, generally male patients are predominating in peptic ulcer perforation during Ramadan. Conclusions: Occurrence of peptic ulcer perforation was relatively higher during Ramadan months, with male predominance.