title: Sucralfate therapy in NSAID bleeding gastropathy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter study was conducted to assess the efficacy of 2 g sucralfate suspension in treating gastric mucosal lesions caused by long-term treatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
  
  
  METHODS
  Only patients given NSAIDs continuously for at least 2 months with positive fecal occult blood (FOB) and endoscopically confirmed mild to moderate mucosal lesions (Lanza scale, grades 2-4) were included. After 1-week run-in phase, patients were stratified into 2 groups according to gastropathy-related symptoms during the preceding 7 days (symptomatic vs. asymptomatic) and randomized to 2 g (10 mL) of sucralfate suspension or placebo twice a day over a 6-week period. NSAIDs were given according to each patient's dosage schedule and always after meals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-five patients received sucralfate and 25 received placebo. At the end of the study, 68% (17/25) of patients given sucralfate had no lesions (Lanza grade 0) on endoscopy compared with 35% (8/23) in controls (P = 0.042). The Lanza grades in patients given sucralfate were significantly improved compared with the placebo patients (P = 0.022).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this target population selected according to positive FOB test and endoscopic evidence of mucosal injury, chronic administration of sucralfate significantly decreased NSAID-induced gastric erosions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital Vall d'Hebron, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. malagela@hg.vhebron.es
authors.forename: Juan-R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Malagelada
authors.forename: Arturo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rodríguez de la Serna
authors.forename: Hans Gert
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Dammann
authors.forename: Miquel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pons
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Armas
authors.forename: Miquel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sala
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Tena
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Celdrán
authors.forename: Antoni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mesa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009780:Occult Blood; D013392:Sucralfate / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D013392:Sucralfate