[Changes in stomach and duodenal mucosa caused by acetylsalicylic acid therapy]

The ulcerogenic effect of acetylsalicylic acid on the gastric and duodenal mucosa is well known. In a retrospective survey we analysed 1203 gastroscopic investigations from 1980 to 1986. Of these patients 47 were under therapy with acetylsalicylic acid for at least 4 weeks and 39 of them (82.9%) showed pathologic changes of the gastric and duodenal mucosa. The residual 1156 patients received no therapy; among these only 426 patients (36.8%) showed pathologic changes of the gastric and duodenal mucosa. The significant difference in the incidence of peptic lesions of the gastroduodenal mucosa between the two patient groups confirms the existence of an ulcerogenic side effect of acetylsalicylic acid.