Gastroscopic findings after therapy with non-steroid antirheumatic drugs.

Non-steroid antirheumatic drugs inhibit synthesis of prostaglandins, which gives rise to a reduction in gastric mucosal perfusion and the limitation of cytoprotective factors. Thus, pan-endoscopic follow-up examinations performed after four weeks of treatment with various non-steroid antirheumatic agents also revealed a significantly increased incidence of erosions, ulcers and reflux oesophagitis. After therapy of at least 18 months with non-steroid antirheumatics, incomplete erosions were verified in 35% of the cases, complete erosions in 7.5%, and reflux oesophagitis in 22.5%. Signs of gastro-intestinal intolerance occurred in 70% of the patients treated with antirheumatics drugs.