[Peptic lesions of the upper digestive tract and drugs. Prospective study]

The association between drugs and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract is well known but has always been evaluated qualitatively and not quantitatively. To study the importance of this association, a prospective study was undertaken at the University of Geneva Hospital in 456 subjects. A statistically significant (p less than 0.05) correlation was found in the following associations: aspirin and multiple gastric ulcers, aspirin and severe erosive gastritis; non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs and multiple duodenal ulcers, non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs and mild erosive gastritis. On the other hand, no correlation was found between any of the observed gastrointestinal diseases and prednisone, alcohol or tobacco.