title: Effects of chronic therapy with non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs on gastric permeability of sucrose: a study on 71 patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the gastric permeability after both acute and chronic use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and to assess the clinical usefulness of sucrose test in detecting and following NSAIDs- induced gastric damage mainly in asymptomatic patients and the efficacy of a single pantoprazole dose in chronic users.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-one consecutive patients on chronic therapy with NSAIDs were enrolled in the study and divided into groups A and B (group A receiving 40 mg pantoprazole daily, group B only receiving NSAIDs). Sucrose test was performed at baseline and after 2, 4 and 12 wk, respectively. The symptoms in the upper gastrointestinal tract were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patients treated with pantoprazole had sucrose excretion under the limit during the entire follow-up period. The patients without gastroprotection had sucrose excretion above the limit after 2 wk, with an increasing trend in the following weeks (P = 0.000). A number of patients in this group revealed a significantly altered gastric permeability although they were asymptomatic during the follow-up period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sucrose test can be proposed as a valid tool for the clinical evaluation of NSAIDs- induced gastric damage in both acute and chronic therapy. This technique helps to identify patients with clinically silent gastric damages. Pantoprazole (40 mg daily) is effective and well tolerated in chronic NSAID users.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Science, University of Parma, Via Gramsci 14, Parma 43100, Italy.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maino
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mantovani
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Merli
authors.forename: Giulia Martina
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Cavestro
authors.forename: Gioacchino
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Leandro
authors.forename: Lucas Giovanni
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Cavallaro
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Corrente
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Iori
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pilotto
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Franzè
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Di Mario
mesh_terms: D053799:2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004724:Endoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000077402:Pantoprazole; D010539:Permeability; D013270:Stomach / Q000187:drug effects*; D013395:Sucrose / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D053799:2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D013395:Sucrose; D000077402:Pantoprazole