SEVERE GASTRIC-MUCOSAL DAMAGE-INDUCED BY NSAIDS IN HEALTHY-SUBJECTS IS ASSOCIATED WITH HELICOBACTER-PYLORI INFECTION AND HIGH-LEVELS OF SERUM PEPSINOGENS

Helicobacter pylori infection and NSAIDs are considered the two most i mportant exogenous factors in ulcer disease. The interrelation between the two factors is not, however, clear. Moreover, serum pepsinogen ha s been suggested as a risk marker for the development of NSAID-induced gastrointestinal lesions. Fifty-one healthy volunteers, enrolled in a prospective, double-blind study carried out to evaluate gastrointesti nal side effects of meloxicam and piroxicam, were analyzed to determin e whether: (1) the prevalence of H. pylori correlates with the occurre nce and severity of NSAID-induced gastrointestinal lesions, and (2) se rum pepsinogen A and C levels could be used as markers of NSAID-induce d mucosal damage. Upper endoscopy was performed by the same investigat or before and after 28 days of treatment with placebo, meloxicam (7.5 mg/day and 15 mg/day), or piroxicam (20 mg/day). NSAID-induced damage was graded separately for hemorrhages and erosion ulcers according to Lanza's scale. There were no statistically significant differences in the prevalence of H. pylori in subjects with and without NSAID-induced mucosal lesions. However, there was a positive association between H. pylori infection and the severity of mucosal damage: total mean endos copic score was 2.9 +/- 0.3 in H. pylori-positive subjects versus 1.6 +/- 0.5 in H. pylori-negative subjects (P < 0.05). Pepsinogen A and C levels increased from 55.3 +/- 3 to 149.4 +/- 15 and from 6.3 +/- 0.5 to 11.5 +/- 2.2, respectively (P < 0.05) in subjects who developed sev ere endoscopic injury. It is concluded that H. pylori increases the se verity of NSAID-induced gastrotoxicity and that pepsinogen A and C lev els are valid markers of severe NSAID-induced mucosal lesions.