title: Fatal peptic ulcer complications and the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, aspirin, and corticosteroids.
abstract: Although non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are known to cause peptic ulcer and its complications, controversy exists about the number of deaths from ulcer which are attributable to their use. A case-control study was therefore performed to determine whether prior use of non-steroidal and other anti-inflammatory compounds was associated with an increased case fatality rate from complications of peptic ulcer. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were used by 39% of a series of 80 patients who had died from peptic ulcer complications and by 37% of 160 controls who were survivors matched for sex, age, ulcer site, and nature of complication (odds ratio 1.1; 95% confidence interval 0.6 to 2.1). Similarly, the rates of prior use of aspirin by cases and controls were almost identical (odds ratio 1.2; 95% confidence interval 0.5 to 1.9). Thus neither nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs nor aspirin were associated with increased case fatality rates from peptic ulcer complications. In contrast, corticosteroids were associated with an increased mortality (odds ratio 4.2; 95% confidence interval 0.9 to 25.6). Although this increase in the estimated relative risk was not statistically significant, a review of the case records indicated that most deaths in steroid users were due to serious sepsis, indicating that there might be a causal association between use of the drugs and the mode of death.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001241:Aspirin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001315:Australia; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010437:Peptic Ulcer / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000401:mortality; D010438:Peptic Ulcer Hemorrhage / Q000139:chemically induced; D010439:Peptic Ulcer Perforation / Q000139:chemically induced; D013256:Steroids
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D013256:Steroids; D001241:Aspirin