PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Taha, A S
AU  - Sturrock, R D
AU  - Russell, R I
TI  - Mucosal erosions in longterm non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug users: predisposition to ulceration and relation to Helicobacter pylori.
AID  - 10.1136/gut.36.3.334
DP  - 1995 Mar 01
TA  - Gut
PG  - 334--336
VI  - 36
IP  - 3
4099  - http://gut.bmj.com/content/36/3/334.short
4100  - http://gut.bmj.com/content/36/3/334.full
SO  - Gut1995 Mar 01; 36
AB  - The importance of erosions in longterm non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) users, their relevance to ulceration and their relation to Helicobacter pylori are unclear. This study assessed the incidence of peptic ulcers in the presence or absence of erosions or H pylori in a group of longterm NSAID users (n = 50), undergoing endoscopy at 0, 4, 12, and 24 weeks while continuing with NSAIDs. Ulcers diagnosed at baseline endoscopy were excluded. Ulcers developed in nine of 23 patients (39%) with pre-existing erosions compared with six of 27 (22%) without erosions (p < 0.05). The group infected with H pylori (n = 30) had a total of 18 patients (60%) with erosions, a total of 12 ulcers (40%), and eight ulcers (27%) complicating previous erosions, compared with five (25%, p < 0.01), three (15%, p < 0.05), and one (5%, p < 0.01) respectively in patients not infected with H pylori (n = 20). Ulcer development was not influenced by the initial number of erosions but strongly associated with H pylori positive duodenal erosions. It is concluded that ulcers are more likely to develop in longterm NSAID users who have mucosal erosions or H pylori, or both.