Glucocorticosteroids and non-steroid antiinflammatory drugs and development of gastrointestinal erosions and ulcer in rheumatic patients

Aim. A comparative evaluation of the frequency and severity of upper gastro intestinal mucosal lesions in patients taking nonsteroid antiinflammatory d rugs (NSAID) and glucocorticosteroids (GCS). Materials and methods. The trial entered 1086 rheumatic patients examined e ndoscopically. To compare the effects of their medicines, the patients were divided into 3 groups: 726 patients on NSAID alone (group 1); 238 patients on NSAID and GCS (group 2); 122 patients on GCS only (group 3). Results. Gastropathies were diagnosed in 38.2, 32.4, 12.5% of group 1, 2 an d 3 patients, respectively (the difference is significant). More serious di seases prevailed in group 1: multiple erosions and gastroduodenal ulcers. G roup 2 and 3 patients had erosions only. Conclusion. GCS are safer for gastrointestinal mucosa than NSAID. Combinati on of NSAID with GCS does not increase the risk of gastropathy onset compar ed to NSAID alone.