Is healing of duodenal ulcer delayed by Ramadan fasting?

Ramadan is a lunar month that muslims have food and water intake restricted to night hours except those who have illness that fasting may be harmful for them. We studied the effects of fasting during Ramadan on patients suffering from duodenal ulcer (DU). 84 endoscopicaly documented duodenal ulcer patients were studied. They were divided into two groups (fasting and non-fasting) according to their own decision and treated with Omeprazol (40mg daily). Sign and symptom such as pain, dyspepsia nausea, bleeding and healing of ulcer were studied. Healing rate of ulcer was 79.76% totally. Non-fasting group and fasting group had healing rate of 75.5% and 85.7% respectively. Therefore no significant differences were observed between the two groups considering symptoms, complications or ulcer healing. Patients with duodenal ulcer while are treating with antisecretory agents can fast during Ramadan without any fear of complications.