Management of nonsteroidal, anti-inflammatory, drug-associated dyspepsia

Superior digestive tract side effects after prolonged treatment with NSAIDs in patients with osteoarthritis

INTRODUCTION

Anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) represent one of the classes of drugs commonly recommended for patients with osteoarthritis. These drugs have side effects that sometimes affect the digestive tract.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

30 patients with either axial or peripheral osteoarthritis, hospitalized between January 2013 and January 2015 in the Rehabilitation Clinic of the Clinical Emergency County Hospital of Craiova, were followed. All the patients included had upper gastrointestinal endoscopy performed, excluding patients who had a history of gastritis, endoscopically demonstrated ulcer or those with a history of gastrointestinal dyspeptic phenomena.

RESULTS

The endoscopic examination found acute erosive gastritis in eight cases, gastric ulcer (four cases) and duodenal ulcer (six cases). No serious complications were encountered. Four patients had no clinical manifestations with endoscopic expression. Lesions were mainly mild esophagitis (Grade I) and only in three cases, esophagitis grade II or III was found. Twelve patients (40%) had Helicobacter pylori infection and had endoscopic changes (gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer, or gastric lesions).

CONCLUSIONS

The adverse effects of NSAIDs in patients with osteoarthritis vary in severity. Patient age significantly influences the severity of injuries. We have not found significant differences in the incidence of COX2 selective and non-selective NSAID-induced lesions. Pathogenic interaction between the NSAID and Helicobacter Pylori infection is most often a synergistic effect in the development of gastritis or gastroduodenal ulcer.

Dyspepsia as an adverse effect of drugs

Drugs are frequently implicated as a possible cause in new onset dyspeptic symptoms and few drugs are free of this suspicion. Nausea, anorexia, abdominal pain and dyspepsia make up between one-tenth and one-third of reported adverse reactions but they are all so common, both in the background population and among patients, that they are frequently attributed to an illness rather than to medications. No symptom or clinical sign is pathognomonic for adverse drug effects, maybe with the exception of vomiting. Dyspepsia is a common reporting in placebo-arms of treatment trials. Owing to the high background incidence of dyspepsia, it is difficult to discern between spontaneous and true drug-related dyspepsia. The mechanisms by which a drug causes dyspepsia are often unknown even though some drugs are known to cause direct mucosal injury. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics are common causes of drug-related dyspepsia.

Clinical practice: diagnosis and evaluation of dyspepsia

The main issue regarding the approach to the patient with uninvestigated dyspepsia is whether the symptoms are the result of an important clinical illness, which then determines the appropriate management strategy for the treatment of the symptoms. An initial trial of empiric antisecretory drugs is recommended for those without Helicobacter pylori infection and no alarm symptoms, whereas H. pylori eradication is recommended for those with an active H. pylori infection. Treatment expectations for H. pylori infections should theoretically be similar to other common infectious diseases. In most regions, clarithromycin resistance has undermined traditional triple therapy so that it is no longer a suitable choice as an empiric therapy. Four drug therapies, such as sequential, concomitant, and bismuth-quadruple therapy are generally still acceptable choices as empiric therapies. Posteradication testing is highly recommended to provide early identification of otherwise unrecognized increasing antimicrobial resistance. However, despite the ability to successfully cure H. pylori infections, a symptomatic response can be expected in only a minority of those with dyspepsia not associated with ulcers (so called nonulcer dyspepsia). Overall, from the patients stand point, symptomatic relief is often difficult to achieve and physicians must rely on reassurance along with empiric and individualized care.

Intestinal mucosal damage caused by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: role of bile salts

The strong analgesic, anti-inflammatory effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are hampered by high occurrence of gastrointestinal side effects. Therapeutic actions of NSAIDs result from cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes inhibition with reduced synthesis of prostaglandins, major modulators of inflammation. Since prostaglandins also regulate key events in gut homeostasis -mucosal secretion, blood flow, epithelial regeneration - COX inhibition has been accepted as the reason for NSAID gastrointestinal toxicity. Several findings challenge this theory: first, intestinal damage by NSAIDs occurs also in COX-1 knockout mice, demonstrating that topical (non-prostaglandin mediated) mechanisms are involved; second, no correlation is found in vivo between the extent of intestinal injury and the degree of inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis; third, bile flow interruption in animal models completely prevents intestinal damage by parenterally administered NSAIDs. What is in bile that could play a role in NSAID toxicity? This timely review will critically discuss the role of bile salts in NSAID-dependent gut damage.