Gastric microbleeding studies in patients with haemophilia taking benoxaprofen

The incidence of peptic ulceration and gastrointestinal blood loss in patients treated with benoxaprofen is low. Haemophiliac patients frequently suffer recurrent bleeding into their joints with resulting severe arthritis. Their choice of drugs for pain relief and with anti-inflammatory action is limited because of the risk of gastro-intestinal bleeding. Accordingly, four patients with haemophilia had 20 ml of their blood labelled with Chromium51 and 10 ml were reinjected. They were given placebo tablets orally for one week, with a carmine marker at tne end of the placebo period, followed by 300 mg of benoxaprofen daily for a further two weeks. Gastrointestinal blood loss was estimated by daily faecal collections measured for radiochromium. No significant gastrointestinal blood loss was noted in either the placebo or benoxaprofen periods of the trial. This drug can reasonably be regarded as safe to use in haemophiliac patient with arthritis.