The use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and the occurrence of gastric lesions among patients undergoing upper endoscopy in a university hospital in Brazil.

BACKGROUND Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are widely used in Brazil in spite of the known risks associated with their use, but investigation of their side effects conducted in this country has been far from sufficient. This study investigates the use of NSAIDs among patients undergoing upper endoscopy in the Hospital das Clínicas of the Federal University of Minas Gerais and the association of this use with the endoscopic diagnosis of gastric erosions, gastric erosions with hematin pigmentation, and gastric ulcer. METHODS The cross-sectional methodological approach was used; 533 patients aged 17 or older were interviewed, between June and December, 2000. Data were submitted to bivariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS More than two thirds of the interviewed population reported the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in a period of 1 month before the upper endoscopy. The most used nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were acetylsalicylic acid and diclofenac. An association was clearly shown between the use of these drugs and the occurrence of the studied lesions, with the latter attaining significance. There was also a significant association between nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use for a period greater than 15 days and the occurrence of the gastric lesions, with a higher odds ratio than for the other comparisons. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have a significant association with the occurrence of the gastric lesions and point to the need of further study of this issue in Brazil.