Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs are associated with gastric outlet obstruction

Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug associated gastric ulcerations are often prepyloric and painless; when recurrent, such ulcers may lead to pyloric scarring and gastric outlet obstruction. We performed a retrospective case control study to seek an association between gastric outlet obstruction and nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug use. The use of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs in cases with gastric outlet obstruction was compared to an age- and sex-matched outpatient control group undergoing endoscopy. The proportion of drug use by patients with gastric outlet obstruction, seven of nine, was significantly higher than the proportion in controls, 29 of 90. The duration of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug use was also significantly longer in patients with gastric outlet obstruction than in control patients. Chronic nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug use is associated with gastric outlet obstruction.