To estimate frequency of ulcers and erosions associated with administration of nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) in patients with rheumatic diseases.
The analysis of the clinic endoscopic data base allowed division of the patients into three groups: group 1--207 patients examined with esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGDS) which detected ulcers or multiple erosions of the stomach and/or duodenum in the course of treatment with NSAID; group 2--157 patients with a few erosions of the stomach or duodenum; group 3--404 controls who had neither erosions nor ulcers in the course of NSAID treatment.
Frequency of detection of ulcers and multiple erosions for groups 1, 2 and 3 was 40.1, 12.1 and 7.4%, respectively. Recurrences did not correlate with age, sex, dose of glucoorticosteroids, NSAID dose, cytostatics, preventive use of antiulcer drugs. Few gastric erosions were detected more frequently in patients of group 2 than group 3 (22.9 and 9.2%, respectively, p < 0.05).
NSAID-induced ulcers in patients with rheumatic diseases are recurrent. Preventive intake of H2-blockers did not lower the risk of ulcer recurrence. Erosions tend to recurrence but their presence do not raise the risk of ulcer development.