title: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug gastropathy: clinical results with misoprostol.
abstract: The aim of the review was to examine the effectiveness of misoprostol as co-therapy in the prevention of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug-induced gastrointestinal mucosal injury. The outcomes assessed were the number of patients in whom a gastric ulcer developed, the number of patients in whom gastric lesions developed. The number of patients in whom a duodenal ulcer developed and the number of patients in whom duodenal lesions developed. The weighted average baseline risks for gastric ulcers were found to be 3.8% and 6.8% with short- and long-term non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug treatment, respectively. Misoprostol treatment resulted in a significant (p < 0.05) risk reduction of gastric ulcer in the short-term (pooled RD = 13.3%; 95% confidence interval -25.7%, -0.9%) and in the long-term (RD = -8.4%; 95% confidence interval -17.7%, -1.0%) non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug treatment. The weighted average baseline risks for duodenal ulcers were found to be 3% and 4% with short- and long-term non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug treatment, respectively. Misoprostol did not significantly reduce the risk of duodenal ulcers with short treatment (RD = -2.0%; 95% confidence interval -5.7%, 1.6%). Treatment was effective in the long-term non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs therapy (RD = 3.4%; 95% confidence interval -5.8%, -0.1%, p < 0.001). The number of patients needed to be treated to prevent 1 person from developing a gastric ulcer within 2 weeks of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug therapy was found to range from 35, when baseline risk was 3%, to 3 when the baseline risk was higher, say 40%. The corresponding number of patients needed to be treated for gastric ulcer prevention in long-term studies ranged from 47 to 5. The number of patients needed to be treated for prevention of duodenal ulcer with misoprostol in short-term studies ranged from 36 to 4 and in the long-term trials form 47 to 8. In conclusion, a rational approach to treat only high risk patients is recommended.
authors.affiliation: Department of Digestive Disease & Nutrition, General Hospital S. Filippo Neri, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koch
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018849:Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016595:Misoprostol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D016595:Misoprostol